Thefts of catalytic converters in Winnipeg have plummeted after arrests following a months-long investigation and new provincial regulations for scrap metal buyers and sellers, police say.

In August, there were 31 thefts of the automobile parts, which convert pollutants in exhaust into less toxic substances, and contain valuable precious metals, the Winnipeg Police Service said in a Tuesday news release.

Just four months prior, there were nearly 11 times as many of the thefts, with 353 in April, according to police.

In June, police said they had arrested three people in connection with a series of catalytic converter thefts, following a raid on a scrapyard earlier that month. That raid came after a four-month-long investigation, police said at the time.

In July, four more people with stolen catalytic converters were arrested during a traffic stop, police said Tuesday.

In July, new provincial legislation intended to curb catalytic converter theft came into effect. Under the Scrap Metal Act, buyers must record details of every transaction involving scrap metal, keep the records for two years, and provide them to law enforcement when asked.

As well, anyone trying to sell restricted items containing precious metals, like catalytic converters, to scrap metal dealers must provide government identification at the time of sale.

When the act was initially introduced in December 2021, Manitoba Public Insurance told CBC there had been a 450 per cent increase in catalytic converter thefts, jumping from 400 in 2020 to more than 2,200 in the first 11 months of 2021.

Winnipeg police say 1,552 thefts have been reported to them so far this year.

The monthly number of thefts climbed through start of this year, before dropping steadily, police said Tuesday:

Vehicle owners can also now take steps to deter would-be thieves, police said Tuesday.

With funding from the criminal property forfeiture program, Crime Stoppers has launched an initiative where people can have their catalytic converter engraved with their vehicle identification number and painted a highly visible yellow colour. 

The "Save Your Cat" initiative is meant to serve as a deterrent for thieves, because an engraved catalytic converter will not be accepted at a scrap dealer under the new legislation, Winnipeg police said.

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