Legislation that attempts to make it more challenging to steal and sell catalytic converters has been signed into law by Governor Lamont.

Connecticut lawmakers rose one after another to tell stories about the recent spike in the number of catalytic converters being stolen in their districts.

The thieves, they said, have been slipping under vehicles, often in the middle of the night, and quickly removing the toxic gas and emissions-reducing devices from engines of school buses, vans used by nonprofit agencies and senior centers, private vehicles, contractors’ trucks, and RVs. Bandits are lured by a possible bounty of about $1,000 to $1,500 per converter, which contain precious metals.

Kent state Representative Maria Horn says she's isn't out on a limb to say that not a single member of this chamber has passed maybe a week without hearing multiple reports about the theft of catalytic converters in their district and throughout the state.  The co-chair of the General Assembly’s Public Safety Committee says as their value increases, there are increasing stories of them being sold, some really harrowing stories.

In general, the bill prohibits motor vehicle recyclers from accepting a catalytic converter unless it’s attached to a vehicle. They’re also prevented from selling or transferring the converter unless a stock number is added, and they’re required to create a written record of the converters they sell or transfer.

The bill also includes new restrictions and record-keeping rules for scrap metal processors, junk dealers and junk yard owners if they receive a catalytic converters not attached to a vehicle, including documenting the seller’s name, address and identity, including with photographs.

It also prohibits anyone other than a recycler or a repair shop from selling more than one unattached converter to a scrap metal processor, junk dealer or junk yard in a day.

It takes effect July 1.