Amarillo Salvation Army Truck Hit by Latest Catalytic Converter Theft

Ahh yes, catalytic converter theft in Texas. It's the hottest trend that's sweeping the state, and it seems like everyone's getting in on the action. And why wouldn't they? These things are worth more than gold these days.

Normally when you hear about catalytic converter theft in Amarillo you think about small-time thefts in car lots, garages, driveways, or parking lots. But these thieves in Amarillo decided to push the envelope to new lows.

After obtaining a new freighter truck thanks to community donations last December due to a previous car theft that left a Salvation Army truck totaled, Salvation Army truck drivers were met with an unflattering surprise.

Right when the Salvation Army was beginning preparations to publicly thank the community for their contributions to the Salvation Army's new vehicle, the catalytic converter converters underneath the freight trucks were discovered to be missing. After sneaking into the lot where the trucks were parked, thieves came in, took the catalytic converters, and left.

We can agree that catalytic converters in Amarillo, and around the entire state of Texas are getting out of hand. In fact, it has seemed to get so out of hand that some legislators have proposed such as Texas Sen. Paul Bettencourt who has recently filed SB 465 to address the increasing problem of catalytic converter thefts in Texas.

This bill creates a criminal offense for possession of a stolen catalytic converter, except for approved businesses such as automotive shops, metal recycling entities, and salvage yards. The proposed legislation also provides that an employee of a protected business who knew that the converter was stolen would no longer be protected.

Bettencourt stated that the spike in converter thefts is partly driven by organized crime. In his bill, he outlined that if a person caught with a stolen catalytic converter is linked to organized crime, they will face an elevated offense.

So hopefully with these tighter restrictions on the catalytic converter, we can finally crack down on the excessive theft that seems out of control.