July 2, 2025 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Santa Monica City Council Takes Action To Criminalize Catalytic Converter Theft

After Historic Rise In Catalytic Converter Thefts, The New Ordinance Passes Unanimously

By Dolores Quintana

In the Santa Monica City Council meeting on May 24, city council members considered a new ordinance on criminalizing the unlawful possession of catalytic converters. The new ordinance would be known as Santa Monica Municipal Code 4.08.830. This was in response to the large rise of thefts of catalytic converters from residents’ cars in the city. 

Detective Martin Hardy of the SMPD property division that deals with grand theft autos and thefts of catalytic converters. He was accompanied by Sergeant Alfonso Lozano. Detective Hardy presented the staff recommendation from the SMPD and Santa Monica City Attorney’s Office that since the theft of catalytic converters had risen significantly in the past few years, the Santa Monica City Council should adopt an ordinance that criminalizes the possession of catalytic converters for anyone who does not have valid documentation or other proof of lawful possession. 

Detective Hardy then showed a graph that tracked the rise of thefts of catalytic converters in Santa Monica from 2016 to the current day. There were only 11 such thefts in 2016, 35 in 2017, 59 in 2018, 27 in 2019, and a large jump in 2020, the first year of the pandemic, to 229 thefts of catalytic converters. In 2021 there were an even larger number of such thefts, namely 302, then another 312 in 2022. For the current year, as of May 24, there have already been 215 catalytic converter thefts in Santa Monica within the first five months of the year. 

Without the proposed ordinance, police who find a suspect in possession of a catalytic converter and do not have a complaining witness cannot hold them for any crime. The ordinance would exclude mechanics and other people with legitimate reasons to have a catalytic converter. Mayor Gleam Davis mentioned that the city of Santa Monica does offer a service where residents can come to have their catalytic converters etched to make identification easier in case of theft. 

Councilmember Oscar de la Torre then told the story of trying to start his car one day and finding thieves had stolen his catalytic converter. He said that he thought at first that he might have been the victim of an attempted car bombing and added that he might have watched too many movies and that it was the scariest thing that had happened to him in a long time. De la Torre said that the worst part about it was that he found that it was more expensive to replace the part than to junk the car. 

De la Torre asked if there was a way to hold the people who bought the catalytic converters that were stolen accountable and if they could get the parts back to their legitimate owners. 

Councilmember Phil Brock said that he believed this ordinance was similar to the one passed by the Los Angeles City Council and that a press member that he knows has had two catalytic converters stolen from their personal vehicle. 

After the discussion, there was a motion by Councilmember Caroline Torosis that was seconded by Councilmember Phil Brock to vote on the passage of the ordinance. The vote was unanimous, and the motion was passed. The penalty is a $500 fine and seizure of the property. Detective Hardy encouraged residents to check the SMPD website for when the SMPD hosts catalytic converter etching events and to check to find out what cars are most in demand for catalytic converter thieves.

in News
<>Related Posts

Court Postpones Arraignment for Driver in Malibu Crash That Killed Four Students

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

Fraser Michael Bohm Faces Murder Charges in Fatal PCH Wreck  The arraignment for Fraser Michael Bohm, the 23-year-old man accused...

More Commercial Uses Could Be Coming to RAND Building

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

Amendment Unlocks New Opportunities, Secures $5.5 Million in Community Benefits The Santa Monica Planning Commission unanimously approved an amendment to...

People are Using Palisades for “Disaster Tours.” Local Officials Are Trying to Stop Them

July 1, 2025

July 1, 2025

A new motion introduced to City Council requests a coordinated strategy from LADOT, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the...

Santa Monica Favorite Esters Rebrands as Esters Wine Shop & Oyster Bar

June 30, 2025

June 30, 2025

New Concept Launches With French-Spanish Flair and Free Bubbles Esters Wine Shop, the fave Parisian-style wine bar in downtown Santa...

Letter to the Editor: Santa Monica’s Great Park: It’s Time to Deliver on 100 Years of Promise

June 30, 2025

June 30, 2025

Santa Monica stands at the edge of history. For nearly a century, residents have consistently supported turning the airport land...

Why Nordstrom Says It’s Closing Its Santa Monica Place Location

June 30, 2025

June 30, 2025

A Nordstrom spokesperson explained the closure as a strategic realignment Nordstrom confirmed its decision to close its Santa Monica store...

Three-Bed Palisades Highlands Townhouse Hits Market for $1.7M

June 30, 2025

June 30, 2025

The Mediterranean-style property, located at 1529 Michael Lane, is part of a 71-unit community A remodeled 1,919-square-foot townhouse in the...

Six-Bed Mar Vista Hilltop Home Under Construction Lists for $5.3M

June 30, 2025

June 30, 2025

The private backyard is complete with a pool, spa, fire pit, built-in BBQ, and areas for outdoor dining A stunning...

(Video) Getty Villa Reopens Six Months After Dodging Destruction of Palisades Wildfires

June 29, 2025

June 29, 2025

With the reopening also comes a new exhibit, “The Kingdom of Pylos” Getty Villa Reopens Six Months After Dodging Destruction...

Free Virtual Planetarium Shows Coming to SMC in July

June 29, 2025

June 29, 2025

The virtual format is in place as construction of the new SMC Planetarium and Observatory nears completion The Santa Monica...

Santa Monica Adopts $793.3M Budget for FY25-27, Prioritizing Housing and Safety

June 29, 2025

June 29, 2025

The budget preserves core services and invests in major projects, including over $1 billion in hotel investments The Santa Monica...

Iranian Pastor in West L.A. Speaks as Church Rocked by Immigration Raids 

June 28, 2025

June 28, 2025

Five Detained as Fear Spreads Through Persian Christian Faith Community  Fear has spread through a West Los Angeles congregation after...

California Doubles Down on Hollywood: $750M in Tax Credits Approved for Film and TV Industry

June 28, 2025

June 28, 2025

State Lawmakers Back Major Expansion of Production Incentives, Raising Job Projections Los Angeles’ film and television industry is poised to...

Park: “Our Water Infrastructure Must Be Emergency-Ready Every Day”

June 28, 2025

June 28, 2025

Councilwoman expressed cautious relief at the news but emphasized the need for robust infrastructure The Los Angeles Department of Water...

Washington Square Pizza Opens to the Public

June 28, 2025

June 28, 2025

New York Style Pizza “By-The-Slice” Now at the Beach By Nick Antonicello  Washington Square Pizza formally opened its doors today...