HARRISBURG – The state Senate has passed legislation cosponsored by Sen. Joe Picozzi to address the alarming rise in catalytic converter and scrap metal thefts affecting communities across the Commonwealth – including families and businesses in Northeast Philadelphia.
“In Northeast Philadelphia, a car is not a luxury – it’s a lifeline,” said Senator Picozzi. “When their catalytic converter gets stolen, they are left with thousands in unexpected repairs – money that nobody has got lying around. They disrupt daily life, drain savings, and chip away at neighborhood safety. We need to ensure we have safe and secure communities”.
Many thieves have targeted business’s vehicle fleets which has cost many companies and customers time and money. Pennsylvania is still one of the top states in the country for catalytic converter robberies.
Senate Bill 914 modernizes Pennsylvania’s crimes code to ensure that criminals are being punished appropriately, and law enforcement has the tools they need to keep their communities safe. Specifically, the measure moves the Scrap Metal Act to Title 18. This Act was designed to help combat people using scrap metal facilities to make money off their stolen property. This stand-alone Act should be placed in Title 18 to better ensure stolen metals are not being sold in our scrap yards.
Contact: Danielle LaBrake, dlabrake@pasen.gov