Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading.

Thank you for visiting the Daily Journal. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.

To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.

We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.

A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!

Please purchase an Enhanced Subscription to continue reading.

Your current subscription does not provide access to this content.

DIGITAL ACCESS to all our award winning content online

Commenting capabilities on every story

Access to our daily e-edition for the past 90 issues

The good feeling of supporting real, local news in your community

DIGITAL ACCESS to all our award winning content (does not include e-edition) online

Commenting capabilities on every story

The good feeling of supporting real, local news in your community

Thank you for visiting our booth at the Disaster Preparedness at the Event Center! Enjoy one free month of access to the San Mateo Daily Journal's website and e-edition. Offer expires August 31, 2022 so sign up today!

Sorry, no promotional deals were found matching that code.

Promotional Rates were found for your code.

Clear to partly cloudy. Low 58F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph..

Clear to partly cloudy. Low 58F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph.

South San Francisco has seen an increase in catalytic converter thefts, up to one per day on average, Police Chief Scott Campbell reported this week during a town hall on auto-related property crimes.

Campbell, joined by Mayor Mark Nagales and state Sen. Josh Becker, D-San Mateo, held a town hall on the subject this week in response to mounting frustration over the thefts, which can leave drivers with repair bills upwards of $3,000.

“The thefts have occurred throughout our entire city,” Campbell said. “Our patrol officers and detectives are working diligently to identify and arrest those responsible.”

He said officers since last year have identified 22 individuals suspected of stealing the pricy vehicle components. Half were arrested on the spot and warrants were issued for the other half. Between January 2021 and June 2022, the Police Department has investigated 433 such crimes, he said.

But, he added, many who commit the crime live outside the city, making investigations tricky.

Catalytic converters, part of a vehicle’s exhaust system, contain valuable metals (some that have recently skyrocketed in value), and can be removed with an electric saw in just minutes. Thieves can get several hundred dollars for the stolen device, which can be sold for scrap.

The city’s uptick is on par with a national trend, which some experts have linked with tightening emissions regulations overseas. The metals within catalytic converters trigger a chemical reaction to break apart harmful pollutants before they exit the tailpipe.

There were 296 reported thefts in South San Francisco last year, up from 75 the year prior, according to the city’s data. This year, 137 incidents have been reported so far.

“Unfortunately, the state is now the number one state in the country for catalytic converter thefts,” Becker said. “These thefts are extremely costly, as some of you unfortunately now know.”

Becker said he is supporting several bills in the state Legislature aimed at addressing the crime, among them a requirement to etch identifying numbers on the device, and tightening rules regarding how they are bought and sold.

Current state law makes prosecuting catalytic converter thieves tricky, as victims must be identified, and there is often no way to link a converter to a specific car. One of the bills, Assembly Bill 1984, would allow officers to make arrests without actual knowledge that a catalytic converter in someone’s possession is stolen, and allow circumstantial evidence for prosecution.

Nagales said the City Council, during its Wednesday meeting, will consider offering formal support of the bills. The council will also vote to adopt an urgency ordinance that would essentially implement AB 1984 locally.

South San Francisco last year offered a free program to etch vehicle identification numbers on converters. More than 200 residents received the service, Nagales said, and offering the program a second time is being considered.

Assistance for installing physical deterrents, cages or shields that can be bolted or welded underneath cars to prevent access, is also being examined, City Manager Mike Futrell said. He said, however, the cost for such work is often $300 or more.

Becker added he would also look into incentives for dealers to add the equipment to cars before they are sold.

In addition to the shields, Campbell recommended parking in well-lit areas or in a garage if possible. He said motion sensors and alarms can be a deterrent, and home surveillance systems have been critical in many investigations.

He said the department had initiated patrols during peak times, as well as “data driven, special undercover surveillance operations” to help target where crimes are occurring.

Planned installation of 31 new license plate reading cameras along Highway 101 and Interstate 280 could also help, he said. The City Council approved the cameras earlier this year as a means of tracking cars suspected of being involved in crimes. Several nearby cities have also adopted similar systems.

Regarding other vehicle-related crimes, Campbell reported vehicle burglaries also average one per day, while auto thefts occur 22 times per month. The figures are both on par with years prior to 2019, he said.

An uptick in burglaries and thefts of work trucks, however, often resulting in the loss of valuable tools, had been recorded recently, he said.

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.

So, TY, what are my "fake news and lies"? Would be interesting to know.

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.

Error! There was an error processing your request.

If it breaks, we'll send it to you.

Join this email list to be kept abreast of breaking news.

Wake up to our carefully curated list of headlines with the Daily Journal's daily newsletter.

All the top stories -- local news, local sports, lifestyle, opinions, obituaries, entertainment, plus regional/national/global info to keep you informed. Newsletter arrives every morning for your convenience.

Would you like to receive our Marketing and Business Intelligence newsletter? The Daily Journal is proud to offer a newsletter providing vital information that will benefit your career, your business, and/or your organization.

Get updates on LOCAL SPORTS!

All the latest and greatest local sports headlines straight to your inbox. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning, the Daily Journal will send you links to our best local sports stories.

If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now!