A St. Paul man is facing a felony charge after police say they found 11 catalytic converters in his trunk.

Nay Thar, 35, is the first person charged by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office under a new law that makes it illegal to possess detached catalytic converters. The law, which went into effect on Aug. 1, came after 5 INVESTIGATES first exposed a loophole that made it hard to track the sale of stolen car parts in Minnesota.

Minneapolis police stopped Thar on Monday afternoon for expired tabs and a revoked driver’s license. Police say neither Thar nor his passenger was able to legally drive the car, which was also tied to a different stolen vehicle parts case from September.

Police impounded the car where they say they also found a carjack, a reciprocating saw, blades and a headlamp – tools that law enforcement say are used in stealing catalytic converters.

Catalytic converters have been targeted for years because of the precious metals inside them. But as 5 INVESTIGATES found, the number of catalytic converter thefts across the state – and throughout the country – has dwindled.

Kerry Sherin, a consumer advocate with BeenVerified, says metal prices may have also played a role in the spike in thefts as well as the more recent decline.

“With the pandemic… a lot of shortages came with it, and the shortages included precious metals,” Sherin said. “Thieves know that there are smaller concentrations of these precious metals inside catalytic converters, and that’s really what they’re after.”

The new law makes it illegal to possess detached catalytic converters without a vehicle identification number. The law also added criminal penalties for scrap dealers who buy catalytic converters that can’t be traced to a specific vehicle.

Thar is being held on a $3,000 bond at Hennepin County Jail. His first court appearance is scheduled for Friday.