Catalytic converter thefts have been on the rise nationwide since the start of the decade, with the Austin Police Department (APD) having experienced a 2000% increase in incident reports, Austin ABC affiliate KVUE reported.
According to the station, the approximately 900 cases APD reported for last year dwarfed the 27 accounted for all of 2019. The National Insurance Crime Bureau, KVUE reported, deduced that the rising value of “platinum group metals” such as specifically rhodium, palladium and platinum contributed to the spike in catalytic converter thefts.
Between 2019 and 2020, thefts in the U.S. saw a nearly 330% boost.
Austinite Braxton Johnson-Ray was among the unfortunate many to have had a catalytic converter stolen.
“I thought it might have been a muffler issue,” Johnson-Ray recalled to KVUE. “I called a muffler repair shop and described it and they said, ‘Check under the car, I think your catalytic converter had been stolen.’ When I checked under the car, sure enough, the catalytic converter had been stolen.”
The theft taught Johnson-Ray a valuable lesson: To park in a safer place because thieves are more determined.
“The thieves didn’t care, they didn’t know who I was, it didn’t matter to them, they just wanted to make a quick buck,” Johnson-Ray told the station.
According to APD, as of March 2021, the top five vehicles that drew the attention of catalytic converter thieves are: Toyota Prius, Honda Element, Ford Econoline, Chevrolet Express and Toyota Tundra, KVUE reported.
Catalytic converters can bring in as little as $50 or as much as $250 at recycling facilities, per the station.
Travis County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) property crimes detective Chad Carter offered vehicle owners advice on how to prevent such thefts.
“One of the main things is to be strategic on where you park your car,” Carter said, according to KVUE. “If you can park it inside your garage or you can park it in a fenced-in area, gated community, anything like that, to where that slows the person down and deters them from stealing converter.”
