Jay Leno slams soft-on-crime LA after General Hospital star was shot dead by catalytic converter thieves

Legendary comedian, and avid car collector Jay Leno has slammed soft-on-crime Los Angeles after General Hospital star Johnny Wactor was shot dead last week by a band of catalytic converter thieves.

Wactor, 37, was leaving a side job at a rooftop bar on May 25 with a co-worker around 3:25am in downtown LA when he was confronted by three men, who were attempting to steal his catalytic converter from his car.

The thugs fatally shot the soap star before fleeing in a separate vehicle. The masked suspects remain at large and have yet to be identified or described.

Leno told TMZ  the light penalty for stealing catalytic converters -   a misdemeanor charge and fine of up to $1,000 -  was 'outrageous,' and called it a 'slap on the wrist,' if they are caught, and the reason why the thieves are so bold.

Jay Leno told TMZ the light penalty perpetrators get stealing converters - a misdemeanor charge and fine of up to $1,000 fine, 'outrageous'

Johnny Wactor, 37, a veteran of the TV soap General Hospital, was leaving a side job at a rooftop bar on May 25 with a co-worker  when he confronted three men, who he initially thought were towing his car, and was shot dead 

Catalytic converters are a valuable commodity to thieves because they contain precious metals including, rhodium, palladium and platinum.

For a standard catalytic converter thieves can make between $25 to $300, and up to $1,400 from hybrid vehicles, experts say, as per Carfax.

The soap star's car was a Toyota Prius, one of the most targeted cars for catalytic converter theft, NBC News reported.

In California, stealing convertors is considered a misdemeanor if the value of the converter, or any stolen property for that matter, is less than $950 – which is why certain cars are targeted.

A van that was seized by police that is filled with catalyic converter

A stock image of a close-up of a catalytic converter in a car exhaust system 

It is illegal to drive without a catalytic converter, and though it may increase performance slightly, it can cause engine issues and is generally not advisable, as per AutoZone.

Leno also explained that car owners who remove their own converter, may be hit with a massive fine.

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, California is the state that leads the highest number of catalytic converter thefts. Texas comes in second.

In the last year, there were nearly 15,000 catalyic converters stolen in the state, as per NBC.

Ford F-150, Ford Explore, Honda Accord, Toyota Prius, Honda CR-V, Chevrolet Equinox, Toyota Tacoma, Kia Soul, Chevrolet Traverse and Chevrolet Cruze, are the most targeted vehicles for converter theft, as per Carfax.