Catalytic converter steals up over Alberta despite legislation to restrain crime

Key takeaways: 

• Safeguarding the Alberta industry from Theft Act was issued the previous year. 
• Edmonton’s Food Bank has had numerous catalyst convertors looted in recent years. 

Catalytic converters were stolen across the country: 

Catalytic converter robberies have increased over Alberta in spite of legislation targeted at dissuading their sale. 

Catalytic converters are part of a drain method, turning pollutants to lower toxic materials before they are removed. They hold a low quantity of metals such as platinum, palladium and rhodium, which have increased in value in present years. 

Their robbery and sale are an issue seen over Canada. Edmonton’s Food Bank has had some stolen off the truck it utilizes for delivery.  

“It’s unlucky that not only are the food banks and other non-profits being aimed, but peoples too,” stated spokesperson Tamisan Benz-Knight.  Source – cbc.ca

“That somebody just requires to get up, go to work, and they even are not able to start their car in the morning.” Source – cbc.ca

Read more: General working from will finish at some point

She stated towing trucks and restoring robbed converters price money that could be better utilized for fund work. 

Alberta issued the Protecting Alberta Industry From Theft Act in 2020, targeted at creating it tougher for criminals to vend robbed metal for scrap.

It makes requirements for dealers to record deals to Law Enforcement and for all payments to be made utilizing detectable types of currency, such as electronic transfers or cheques. 

Venders are also required to provide a government-issued photo ID with dealers needed to report and keep a vendor’s ID information as well as details of the transactions. 

But since the legislation went into full result on Nov 1st of the year, catalytic converter robberies have still risen over the region. 

In Edmonton, there were 2,484 recorded catalytic converter robberies between Nov 1, 2020, and Oct 31, 2021, a rise from 1,697 across the similar period the past year.