LA Councilwoman Blames Toyota For Catalytic Converter Thefts

Estimated read time 2 min read

What a weird take.

Catalytic converter theft is a problem which has become almost epidemic in some metropolitan areas, especially in Los Angeles. One of the biggest targets of these thefts is the Toyota Prius. While there are a few competing theories for why that might be, Los Angeles Councilwoman Nithya Raman has decided the blame rests squarely on the shoulders of Toyota itself.

Find out why thieves are focusing on electric car chargers here.

According to a video posted on Twitter by area lawyer Justin Gordon, Raman was responding to a question about why she recently voted against a motion that would make it a crime to be in possession of a catalytic converter that doesn’t belong to you. That seems like a no-brainer motion to pass at a time when catalytic converter theft is raging out of control in your city.

Instead of really addressing the motives behind her vote, Raman decided to lay into Toyota by claiming the automaker made Prius catalytic converters too easy to steal. Apparently, “banning” having catalytic converters that aren’t yours won’t solve the problem. Instead, Raman believes “what is going to address this issue in a very real way” involves blaming Toyota for not making Prius catalytic converters more difficult to swipe.

Thing is Raman at first can’t even remember Toyota’s name, signaling she doesn’t really know that much about the issue. She goes on to claim the catalytic converter on a Prius is “super easy to remove” without providing any actual evidence. Making a fantastic claim like that warrants equally fantastical proof. Instead, she goes on to claim the catalytic converters are located in “an incredibly easy to access in your car.”

We’d love to see Raman demonstrate, herself, how “easy” it is to steal a catalytic converter off a Toyota Prius. We wonder if she would even know where to look for it. But all this is a distraction from politicians refusing to help in a crackdown on crimes like catalytic converter theft, not to mention car theft. People need to be aware of this attitude of excuses and blame shifting before they go to the polls again, because this sort of thing is happening all over.

Steven Symes https://writerstevensymes.com/

Steven Symes is an accomplished automotive journalist with a passion for all things related to cars. His extensive knowledge and love for the automotive world shine through in his writing, which covers a diverse range of topics.

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