[§708-836.8]  Theft of catalytic converter.  (1)  A person commits the offense of theft of catalytic converter if the person commits theft of a catalytic converter.

     (2)  For the purposes of this section, "catalytic converter" shall have the same meaning as that term is defined in section 289-1.

     (3)  Theft of catalytic converter is a class C felony. [L 2022, c 88, §3]

COMMENTARY ON §708-836.8

  Act 88, Session Laws 2022, added this section to establish the offense of theft of catalytic converter.  The legislature found that catalytic converter thefts were on the rise across the State.  Catalytic converters contain precious metals such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium, the prices of which had recently increased, making catalytic converters highly sought after by thieves due to their high resale value.  The relative ease and speed in which a person could remove a catalytic converter from a vehicle, coupled with the value of the scrap and precious metal, had contributed to the increase in catalytic converter thefts.  While catalytic converters could typically be resold on the market for less than a few hundred dollars, replacing a stolen catalytic converter could cost a car owner more than $1,000 or perhaps more depending on the extent of damages.  The legislature noted that Act 88 established the offense of theft of a catalytic converter as a class C felony, thereby removing any burdensome requirement of proving a defendant had knowledge of the value of the property.  Conference Committee Report No. 65-22, Senate Standing Committee Report No. 2951, Senate Standing Committee Report No. 2357.