The third federal policy priority for car dealers to be aware of surrounds the theft of catalytic converters. Catalytic converters are being stolen at increasingly higher rates due to their valuable metals, such as rhodium, platinum and palladium. Thieves can easily steal catalytic converters from unattended vehicles, and since catalytic converters are not readily traceable, there is a lucrative market for these stolen parts. These thefts are costing millions of dollars to businesses and individual vehicle owners alike. In addition, replacing a catalytic converter is costly and often difficult due to the part’s skyrocketing demand and supply chain shortages. Dealers should encourage their local congressmen to pass H.R. 6394, the “Preventing Auto Recycling Theft Act” (PART Act), which would assist law enforcement in their efforts to combat catalytic converter theft by marking catalytic converters and creating a more transparent market that deters its theft.
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