Catalytic converter theft is on the rise again in Orange County. A couple of years ago, a friend of mine had the catalytic converter stolen from her Honda Element twice in the same year. Soon after that, someone stole the converter from our company box truck in Huntington Beach. Shortly after, we seldom received calls in regards to stolen converters. I thought that thefts would keep decreasing because law enforcement cracked down on the fraudulent resale industry. Unfortunately, since COVID, it seems like it’s worse than ever before.
Catalytic converter theft facts
Top catalytic converter thefts by state
- California
- Texas
- Minnesota
- North Carolina
- Illinois
- According to local law enforcement, the theft can take less than 90 seconds
- Catalytic converters are vulnerable because they’re quick and easy to remove
- Thieves target converters because they contain valuable precious metals
So what can you do to prevent catalytic converter theft?
1) Etch your license plate number onto your catalytic converter. I cannot say that this will prevent a thief from stealing a converter. Perhaps if he/she notices the etching in the act, they might leave it and move on.
2) Park your vehicle in a secured garage (which is not always possible) or well lit parking space. This isn’t a guaranteed way to prevent theft either. One of our customers from Costa Mesa had her converter stolen in the middle of the day as her vehicle was sitting in a parking lot. I few of our customers have told us that their converters were stolen while shopping at the Westminster mall.
3) Install a catalytic converter theft security device.
Cat Security™
We really like the design and execution of the protection device made by cat security™. Unfortunately there is a limited range of vehicles in their product applications. The good news is that they are making over one more applications over the next year.
CatClamp®
Our customer had us install this theft security device called the CatClamp®. Apparently the Prius is a major target for catalytic converter theft locally. In our experience, SUVs and trucks seem to get hit more often because of the easy underbody access. Common targeted vehicles are: Toyota Prius, Honda Element, Honda Pilot, Toyota Sequoia, Toyota Tacoma
My catalytic converter was stolen, now what?
Due to the high cost of most catalytic converters, the best course of action is to file a claim with your insurance. If your insurance won’t cover the cost of replacement, we recommend exploring a replacement aftermarket catalytic converter.
In California, aftermarket converters must be an exact match to a vehicle’s year, make, model, engine size and engine family to be considered legal. Most dealerships will not install aftermarket parts. Therefore an experienced independent installer should be chosen. Although these California aftermarket converter regulations have been in place for many years, we still regularly find improper installations on many vehicles during our inspection process. So if you can’t make it to JUST SMOGS® for your converter replacement, either chose another professional installer and/or visit this converter post for more information. It’s also worth mentioning that if a quote is required for an aftermarket converter, we usually need to see the vehicle in person so we can identify the exact part match.
If your converter replacement is covered by insurance, we recommend going with an OEM (factory) converter. We can provide a free estimate without having the vehicle at our shop. We will provide the exact same parts and installation as the dealership, but at a lower cost.
Give us a call: 714-596-1019 or stop by 7722 Talbert Ave, Huntington Beach, CA 92648.