YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - U.S. Senator J.D. Vance is putting his support behind the PARTS Act, to prevent the thefts of catalytic converters by making the highly sought after auto part traceable.

"This is relatively a new problem in our state and something I know folks in Youngstown have dealt with quite a fair bit, people are unable to drive themselves to work, because their catalytic converter was stolen," Vance said.

The PARTS Act, Preventing Auto Recycling Thefts, is a piece of bipartisan legislation that would fit the parts with a traceable identification numbers. If passed, the bill would make the theft of catalytic converters a criminal offense.

"This is relatively a new problem in our state and something I know folks in Youngstown have dealt with quite a fair bit, people are unable to drive themselves to work, because their catalytic converter was stolen," Vance said.

Vance points to businesses and non-profits that have also taken financial hits for stolen catalytic converters.

"One thing this legislation does, is makes those catalytic converters more traceable, so that our cops can catch the bad guys and prevent this stuff from happening in the future," Vance said.

THEFT OF PARTS A GROWING PROBLEM

In 2022, the valley saw reports of sweeping thefts of catalytic converters.

In May, catalytic converters were stolen at two businesses in Austintown. The owner of Second Nature Landscaping discovered that someone had cut the converters from three of the vehicles at his business. A Columbus man also told officers that someone stole the converter from his Honda Element SUV that had been parked outside the Hampton Inn on Canfield Niles Road around the same time.

Although stolen catalytic converters may net thieves $25 to $500, replacing the device can cost a passenger vehicle owner up to $3,000.

Local police say they often get reports of the auto parts stolen from multiple vehicles when incidents happen.