Lawmaker calls summit to address surge in catalytic converter thefts

By THE STAR STAFF

Amid a resurgence in catalytic converter thefts across Puerto Rico, Rep. Víctor Parés Otero, who chairs the House Government Committee, announced plans for a high-level summit with the Puerto Rico Police Bureau, the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER), the Bureau of Transportation and Other Services, and the Department of Consumer Affairs (DACO by its acronym in Spanish). The goal: to develop strategies to curb the growing criminal trend.

“Just like in 2022, when thefts of these converters spiked, the current surge is driven by their composition -- particularly the presence of precious metals such as palladium, rhodium, and platinum, which are sold on illegal markets,” said Parés, who represents San Juan’s District 4. “We don’t want a repeat of 2022, when official police figures recorded about 2,200 complaints of catalytic converter theft.”

The legislator emphasized that the summit aims to outline a comprehensive strategy to prevent another wave of thefts like those seen in 2022 and 2023.

“Back then, victims often waited an average of 45 days to get their vehicles back on the road because of inventory shortages,” he said. “That’s what we want to avoid.”

Parés noted that the police will play a key role, along with DNER, which oversees metal recycling centers -- common destinations for stolen converters. DACO will also be involved in monitoring auto parts shops, another potential outlet for the stolen components.

“We need to cover all bases, and that’s what we’ll do at this summit,” Parés added.

The urgency of the meeting comes after police on Tuesday reported three theft complaints from the Jardines de Trujillo Alto housing cooperative. All of the incidents occurred last Sunday and involved Mitsubishi Outlander SUVs manufactured between 2006 and 2022.