MOTION-- Over the weekend of December 25, 2021, thieves broke into a city yard in North Hollywood and stole the catalytic converters from 39 city vehicles. The theft cost an estimated loss to tax payers of nearly $74,000. In addition, none of the vehicles could be used to serve the public until they could be repaired. This was not the first such crime. Previously, in March of 2021, a city yard in Lincoln Heights was also broken into, and another 68 vehicles were robbed of their catalytic converters.
Especially in light of the value of the city assets contained in these yards, these break-ins raise serious concerns about whether adequate security and loss-prevention practices are being implemented.
The theft of catalytic converters in particular is widespread nationwide, and has gotten worse because of recent dramatic increases in the salvage value of their components. Theft of other metal items similarly has increased for the same reason. The risk to the tax payers of theft of city vehicles and other assets therefore continues to be significant.
I THEREFORE MOVE that the Council INSTRUCT the Chief Legislative Analyst, in concert with the Board of Public Works, the Police Department, the General Services Department and any other relevant departments, to report within 30 days on thefts that have occurred at city facilities over the last two years that have resulted in significant losses or damage to city assets;
I FURTHER MOVE that the Council INSTRUCT the Chief Legislative Analyst, in concert with the City Administrative Officer, the Board of Public Works, the Police Department, and the General Services Department, report within 30 days with recommendations for appropriate and cost-efficient measures to reduce such losses and damage, and the budget and staffing needs to implement them;
I FURTHER MOVE that these reports specifically address the particular risk of catalytic converter theft from city' vehicles; and
I FURTHER MOVE that the Council INSTRUCT the Board of Public Works to work with the Police Department to explore methods to apprehend the perpetrators of such thefts and the purchasers of the stolen items, including the notion of affixing GPS trackers to some catalytic converters and other commonly-stolen items.