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<br />ORDINANCE NO. 0-07-25
<br />AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
<br />OF COLTON, CALIFORNIA ADDING CHAPTER 9.25 TO
<br />TITLE 9 OF THE COLTON MUNICIPAL CODE TO
<br />PROHIBIT THE UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF
<br />CATALYTIC CONVERTERS, ESTABLISHING PENALTIES
<br />FOR VIOLATIONS, AND MAKING FINDINGS UNDER
<br />CEQA
<br />WHEREAS, the citizens of the City of Colton have experienced a significant increase in
<br />catalytic converter thefts from automobiles over recent years, contributing to financial hardship,
<br />public safety concerns, and community disruption; and
<br />WHEREAS, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, catalytic converter thefts
<br />in California increased dramatically, with monthly thefts in 2022 reported at 14 times the rate of
<br />2019, and California accounting for approximately 37% of all catalytic converter theft claims
<br />nationwide in 2021; and
<br />WHEREAS, catalytic converters are targeted due to their valuable precious metals,
<br />including platinum, palladium, and rhodium, which command high prices in the recyclables
<br />market, with thieves receiving $200 to $1,200 per converter when sold to scrap metal yards or
<br />black-market buyers; and
<br />WHEREAS, the ease and speed of catalytic converter thefts, often completed in seconds
<br />using common tools such as reciprocating saws, combined with the lack of identifying markers on
<br />most catalytic converters, makes these crimes difficult to detect, trace, or prosecute without an
<br />identifiable victim; and
<br />WHEREAS, victims of catalytic converter thefts in Colton face significant financial
<br />burdens, with replacement costs often exceeding $1,000 per vehicle for parts and labor, in
<br />addition to lost wages, inconvenience, and delays due to shortages of replacement parts; and
<br />WHEREAS, catalytic converter thefts have led to public safety risks, including violent
<br />confrontations, assaults, and, in some cases, homicides, as reported in other California cities such
<br />as San Jose, where interruptions of thefts have resulted in harm to victims or bystanders; and
<br />WHEREAS, the California State Legislature has enacted laws to address catalytic
<br />converter theft, including Senate Bill 1087 (Stats. 2022, amending Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §
<br />21610), which imposes stricter regulations on core recyclers purchasing catalytic converters, and
<br />Assembly Bill 1740 (Stats. 2022, amending Cal. Veh. Code § 10852.5), which prohibits the
<br />purchase of used catalytic converters from unauthorized sellers; and
<br />WHEREAS, California Vehicle Code § 10852 prohibits willful injury or tampering with a
<br />vehicle or its contents without the owner's consent, and Vehicle Code § 10853 prohibits climbing
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