Reviewed by William A. Proetta, Esq. · Updated October 2026
Short answer
New Jersey has no criminal offense called “catalytic converter theft.” The taking is charged as theft of movable property under N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3 and graded by value under N.J.S.A. 2C:20-2(b): less than $200 is a disorderly persons offense, $200 to $500 is fourth degree, more than $500 is third degree (3 to 5 years), and $75,000 or more is second degree. Damage to the car can add criminal mischief under N.J.S.A. 2C:17-3, and anyone who buys or resells converters can face receiving stolen property under N.J.S.A. 2C:20-7. Indictable cases are screened by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office and heard in Superior Court at the Frank J. Guarini Justice Complex, 24 Central Avenue, Jersey City.
How is the taking graded?
The charge turns on the value of what was taken, not on the fact that it came off a car. Value is fair market value at the time and place of the theft, and the State must prove it beyond a reasonable doubt. A converter’s scrap price and its replacement cost are different numbers, and which one the State relies on can decide whether a case is a disorderly persons offense, fourth degree or third degree. Get the invoice and the buyer’s records before you accept either figure.
Amounts taken under one scheme or course of conduct can be aggregated under N.J.S.A. 2C:20-2(b). A person caught with one converter can be charged for that one. A person tied by surveillance video or a buyer’s ledger to a dozen thefts across Jersey City Heights, Bayonne and the lots off Route 440 can face a single higher-grade count. Our page on theft of movable property covers the grading ladder in full.
Two other points. A crew that steals vehicles or parts as an organized operation can also face the auto theft trafficking network statute, N.J.S.A. 2C:20-18: a participant is third degree, a leader is second degree, and neither count merges with the thefts themselves. And a conspiracy count is common when two or more people are on a recording, because the person who drove, the person who cut and the person who sold can all be charged for one episode.
Can damage to the car add a second charge?
Yes. Cutting a converter off usually damages exhaust pipes, sensors and wiring. Criminal mischief under N.J.S.A. 2C:17-3 is graded by the pecuniary loss the actor purposely or knowingly causes:
| Pecuniary loss | Grade |
|---|---|
| $500 or less | Disorderly persons |
| More than $500 but less than $2,000 | Fourth degree |
| $2,000 or more | Third degree |
Repair bills often exceed the converter’s scrap value, so a mischief count can carry a higher grade than the theft count. The State must prove the loss came from your act. The repair estimate is where that is tested: pre-existing damage, work unrelated to the theft and inflated shop quotes all come off.
Is breaking into a parked car burglary?
It can be. New Jersey’s burglary definitions say “structure” includes a vehicle, and the burglary statute, N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2, covers entering a non-residential structure with the purpose to commit an offense inside. Burglary of that kind is third degree unless someone is injured or threatened or a weapon is involved. So entering a car or van to take something from the cab can be charged as burglary, which is a heavier charge than theft.
Sliding under a car and cutting off a converter is different. Nothing was entered, so burglary is a stretch, and a prosecutor who files it is relying on a stretched reading. The New Jersey Supreme Court has held that a fenced, locked commercial lot closed to the public is a “structure” (State v. Olivero, 221 N.J. 632 (2015)), so a converter taken inside a locked dealership or fleet yard on Route 440 or near the Turnpike extension can bring a burglary count that an open parking lot would not. Our burglary page explains the structure question.
What about the people who buy converters?
Two separate bodies of law reach buyers.
Receiving stolen property. Under N.J.S.A. 2C:20-7, the State must prove a buyer knew the converter was stolen or believed it probably was, and it must also prove the property actually was stolen (State v. Hodde, 181 N.J. 375 (2004)). The statute lets a jury infer knowledge from certain facts, including when a dealer in that kind of property buys it without making reasonable inquiry. That inference is why a yard that skipped ownership questions is exposed. Receiving stolen property is graded by value like theft.
The scrap-metal law. Under P.L. 2023, c.56, signed May 15, 2023, a used catalytic converter that is not attached to a vehicle is “scrap metal” under the state scrap-metal statute (N.J.S.A. 45:28-1 et seq.). A scrap metal business buying a detached converter must record the vehicle identification number of the car it came from and proof of the seller’s connection to that vehicle, such as a title, registration, repair receipt or bill of sale; the legislative summaries also describe limits on who may sell detached converters. A violation of the scrap metal law is a disorderly persons offense for a first or second offense and a fourth-degree crime for a third or subsequent one. That is a regulatory violation, and it sits alongside, not in place of, a receiving charge.
What are the options for a first offense?
A first offender charged with a third- or fourth-degree theft is routinely considered for Pretrial Intervention, usually with restitution to the owner as a condition. Restitution here includes the repair cost, which makes the repair estimate a negotiating number from the first day. A disorderly persons case in the municipal court, such as Jersey City Municipal Court, may qualify for conditional dismissal.
Defenses are factual. Common ones are misidentification from poor video, no proof the defendant took it as opposed to being nearby, an honest belief the converter was being sold by its owner (the claim-of-right defense in N.J.S.A. 2C:20-2(c)), a value overstated by the State, and, for buyers, no knowledge and no showing that the property was stolen.
FAQs
Is stealing a catalytic converter a felony in New Jersey?
New Jersey has no felony label. Over $500 it is a third-degree crime, with 3 to 5 years of exposure.
Can I be charged for buying a converter I did not know was stolen?
Only if the State proves you knew or believed it probable. A seller’s paperwork, a reasonable price and a documented vehicle connection all support lack of knowledge.
Will the owner’s repair bill increase my charge?
It can, through criminal mischief and restitution. It is open to challenge.
Should I answer a detective’s questions about a converter I sold?
Not before speaking with counsel. A seller’s explanation is how the State builds its knowledge and value proof, and we can approach the detective for you.
Talk to a Hudson County theft defense lawyer
If you were arrested in Jersey City, Hoboken or elsewhere in Hudson County over a converter, or a detective wants to ask about one you bought, call William Proetta Criminal Law at (201) 793-8018 for a free, confidential case review at any hour.
