OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — A new Omaha ordinance, instituted by Omaha City Council and City of Omaha legal personnel, aims to crack down on sales of stolen catalytic converters.
The ordinance will be enforced by the Omaha Police Department beginning on Wednesday, March 30, under a permit system that recognizes catalytic converters as "regulated metals property." The permits will be required for all catalytic converters that are "disassembled, detached, or uninstalled from a motor vehicle with few exceptions."
An OPD media release did not specify the exceptions. However, the Regulated Metals Property Permit is available at the OPD headquarters for individuals who are 18 or older who do not have any theft-related offenses within the last five years.
Catalytic converters contain precious metals including rhodium, platinum and palladium, and can be sawed off of vehicles by thieves. Though the resale value of a catalytic converter is roughly a couple of hundred dollars, the damage of its forcible removal can cause auto owners thousands in repairs. Previously, law enforcement officials recommended parking cars in well-lit areas to deter thieves, or secretly mark the catalytic converter with a UV pen in an attempt to track it down if stolen. Now, police will have the permit system to rely on.
Individuals who do not have the required Regulated Metals Property Permit "shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and may face up to a $500 fine and/or six months in jail," said OPD in the release. A permit will be canceled if an individual is convicted for theft while retaining the permit, or until Dec. 31 of the year it was obtained.
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