June 22, 2022—Washington state has experienced the largest increase in catalytic converter theft in the United States, according to King 5.
King 5 cited a BeenVerified report that not only verified this, but also said that June is the worst time of year for these kind of thefts in Washington.
"Since 2019, that three year timeframe, if you look at that, 10,000% percent different last year versus 2019. Just the thefts so far this year is more than 2019 and 2020 totaled together," said Kerry Sherin, consumer advocate for BeenVerified, in the article.
Kellan Auto Repair mechanic Vy Nguyen said that he has seen the increase first hand as well, with more customers visiting the shop as a result of catalytic converter theft. He has recommended that customers use a steel plate to prevent thefts, although this option is not fool-proof.
A bill was passed during the state's last legislative session that required scrap metal buyers to employ more strict documentation in regards to catalytic converter purchases. The bill also established a task force to tackle the on-going problem.
"What we need is action and we need a direct plan to deal with these crimes," said state Senator Jeff Wilson in the article. "This session I'm more than happy to reintroduce some tougher legislation."
