The Orange County Board of Supervisors voted on February 24, 4-1, to pass the second reading of Vice Chair Katrina Foley\u2019s countywide ordinance targeting catalytic converter theft. The measure closes a gap in state law by making it unlawful in unincorporated Orange County to possess even one detached catalytic converter without documented proof of lawful ownership.<\/p>\n
\u201cHardworking families should not have to cover the rising costs of car ownership and the price of theft,\u201d\u00a0said Vice Chair\u00a0Katrina Foley.\u00a0\u201cBy closing the loopholes\u00a0ignored by Sacramento,\u00a0the County of Orange gives law enforcement clear, practical tools to hold offenders accountable, deter repeat theft, and better protect Orange County drivers, small businesses, and our neighborhoods.\u201d<\/p>\n
Under current California law (AB 461),\u00a0law enforcement\u00a0officers often must prove a converter was stolen or wait until\u00a0an individual\u00a0possesses\u00a0nine or more\u00a0stolen converters\u00a0before\u00a0taking\u00a0enforcement\u00a0action. This\u00a0limitation restricts proactive enforcement.<\/p>\n
The County ordinance strengthens enforcement authority by:<\/p>\n
Making it unlawful for any person in unincorporated Orange County to\u00a0possess\u00a0ONE detached catalytic converter without documented proof of lawful ownership\u00a0(state law requires nine or more stolen converters\u00a0in order to\u00a0be charged or fined).
\nShifting the burden to the possessor to\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0lawful ownership, allowing officers to presume unlawful possession in the absence of documentation.
\nTreating each unlawfully\u00a0possessed\u00a0converter as a separate violation.
\nAuthorizing misdemeanor or infraction charges, as well as civil penalties and restitution.<\/p>\n
In contrast, state law\u00a0generally requires\u00a0proof that a converter was stolen or that a person knowingly engaged in an illegal sale,\u00a0while also\u00a0treating\u00a0unlawful possession as a group of items rather than individual violations.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Orange County Sheriff\u2019s Department<\/a>\u00a0(OCSD)\u00a0reported152 reported catalytic converter thefts in 2024 and 99 reported thefts in 2025 to date within OCSD\u00a0jurisdiction, which includes 13 contract cities and unincorporated areas.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Orange County Sheriff\u2019s Department and our municipal partners have worked diligently to stop catalytic converter theft.\u00a0The ordinance approved by the Board of Supervisors provides an\u00a0additional\u00a0tool to help further reduce this crime and lessen the financial strain it has placed on the residents of our communities,\u201d\u00a0said Don Barnes, Orange County Sheriff-Coroner.<\/p>\n Orange County District Attorney\u00a0Todd Spitzer<\/a> also expressed support for the ordinance in a letter\u00a0addressed to the Board of Supervisors ahead of the February 10 first reading. See attached letter.<\/p>\n Learn more about the\u00a0Catalytic Converter\u00a0ordinance\u00a0here<\/a>.\u00a0To inquire about Vice Chair Foley\u2019s media availability, please contact\u00a0Latisha Townsend at\u00a0(714) 559-8364.<\/p>\n Like this:<\/p>\n Like Loading…<\/p>\n