Ever seen in a movie, or worse experienced it in person, someone coming out to their car, firing it up, and realizing their catalytic converter was stolen? You ever wonder why it is always this one part of the car that seems to be the target? What can people even do to protect themselves from what has proven to be a problematic piece of your car to lose? This week, a look at what catalytic converters are, why they are a hot item to steal, what one Ohio Congressmen is doing to try to curb the thefts, and overall legislative trends.
What are catalytic converters?
Catalytic converters are the part of your gas powered car that reduces the pollution created by your car released into the atmosphere. These filters are bolted to the underbelly of any car that uses gas as a power source. So people want to steal...a filter? Well, this filter is not valuable for what it does, but for what is inside of it. Catalytic converters use precious metals (platinum, palladium, and rhodium) to filter car’s harmful exhaust into oxygen, nitrogen, and other less harmful gases.
During the pandemic, but even before, precious metals prices have increased exponentially. At the time of this blog, platinum is worth $1,030 per ounce, palladium is worth $2,029 per ounce, and rhodium is worth $10,800 per ounce. Gold is worth $1,794 per ounce. The metals in catalytic converters are literally more valuable than gold. Another reason their value has increased is that societal and regulatory pressures to reduce car emissions as increased the amount needed in more eco friendly cars or more emissions focused states.
The most targeted vehicles are hybrids because they are easy to identify and supposed to emit the least amount of pollution (aka have more of these metals). Trucks and SUVs are also targeted because their large nature means higher ground clearance which means easier access to the catalytic converter. These filters can be stolen within 5-to-10 minutes where thieves will slide under the car, remove two or three bolts, and be on their way. People often do not even know their catalytic converter has been stolen until they fire up their car and hear a loud rattle from their engine.
Not only are these filters easy to steal, they are very easy to sell and expensive to replace. According to an article from CNN, the NICB states recyclers will pay between $50 and $250 for a catalytic converter. Hybrid car’s metals can be sold for even more, an auto shop worker states newer hybrid vehicles can go for scrap anywhere from $800 to $1,500. If you need to replace a stolen one, it can cost anywhere from $2,000-$2,500 to replace.
What can people do to protect themselves?
There are a few main actions my research points to for people looking to insulate themselves from catalytic converter theft.
First, etch your license plate number into the converter. If your converter is sold to a shop that is cooperating with police, law enforcement can track the part. There are also some programs in cities run by law enforcement that are “etching sessions” at local garages.
Second, always try to park in a well-lit area and lock your car. Although it does not take much time to steal a catalytic converter, if there is a greater chance others may see and report an attempted theft, it could discourage people. If you park outside our house, you can try installing a light on a motion sensor. Then, always lock your car, activating its vehicle alarm (if you have one).
Lastly, there are some anti-theft devices on the market that aim to protect catalytic converters. These devices consist of a shield or a plate that is bolted to cover up the catalytic converter and restrict access to it by a would-be thief.
In a report published by the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the average number of monthly catalytic converter thefts jumped from 282 in 2019 to 1,203 in 2020. They have not yet published data on 2021, but from the huge increase in media coverage about this issue, we expect the overall thefts around the country have increased once again.
What is this Ohio bill about?
These thefts have not only surged nationally, but also in Ohio. Representative Bob Young proposed a piece of catalytic converter legislation this year in an attempt to ensure the stolen parts aren't sold for profit. HB 408 (currently in committee) would ban the sale of catalytic converters without proof of ownership by amending state law 2913.71 to include the coveted part.
The proposed catalytic converter legislation aims to target and restrict operations at scrap-metal dealers when it comes to purchasing these parts. These dealers will have to keep more records on the people who sell to them. These new types of records include:
- Collecting the license-plate numbers of motor vehicles sellers are using to transport metals to the facility
- A visual scan of the seller’s valid driver’s license, military ID, or other photo ID card issued displaying a photo of the seller, their date of birth, and current address issued by the federal government or any state
- For vehicles or automotive parts, photos will need to be taken of the parts and buyers will need to collect vehicle identification number of the vehicle they came from
- For catalytic converters, the repair order showing when the repair involving the catalytic converter was removed and that vehicle’s identification number
- For those not authorized to repair catalytic converters, a receipt from a person or company that repairs, overhauls, dismantles, or works on motor vehicles
- A receipt showing the name and address of the scrap dealer, the date and time the scrap metal was received by the dealer, an accurate description of the scrap metal, and the amount paid for the scrap metal
- Signed statements by sellers, under penalty of perjury, that the materials have not been stolen and the seller has a right to possess them
Young, the bill sponsor, had this to say about the bill: “Currently under the law, there is no accountability on these stolen items and they are easily taken from people’s vehicles. It’s my hope with this bill that we stop the sales of these converters to help our consumers, businesses and environment. Catalytic converter theft harms businesses, individuals, insurance companies, the environment, and puts an undue burden on law enforcement.”
What about other legislation?
Over the last decade almost 350 bills have been introduced that aim to address some part of the catalytic converter craze. This year alone, 84 bills have been proposed in 29 states - Minnesota and Missouri each proposed 12 bills.
Here is a map of the current session bills relating to catalytic converters. You can view this stakeholder page on our mobile app with the Mobile Access Code CVFBBU.
Arkansas signed into law a piece of legislation very similar to the Ohio bill in April. The Arkansas bill, passing 91-0 in the House, requires buyers of used catalytic converters in the state to maintain similar records: a clearly identifiable date and time-stamped digital photo of the seller, photos of scrap metal in the form it was purchased, and photos of catalytic converters (if any were purchased).
California signed legislation earlier this month which extends the Vehicle Dismantling Strike Team for a period of three years. This Strike team was established by legislation passed in California in 2016 (AB 1858) which required the California DMV to coordinate enforcement and compliance activity related to “unlicensed vehicle dismantling” with other state agencies. The people doing this coordination are part of the newly established Vehicle Dismantling Industry Strike Team.
Minnesota proposed legislation that aims to make it so that a scrap dealer cannot buy a catalytic converter without documentation about how it was obtained by the seller. If someone is arrested and prosecuted under the new subdivision, the defendant must prove they knew the person selling the catalytic converter acquired it legally and had the right to transfer or sell it.
Missouri passed the contents of their catalytic converter bill after it was added to another bill, requiring a license in order to sell scrap metals and for dealers to maintain additional records of sales.
Proposed New Jersey legislation states “bill provides that a core recycler is not permitted to purchase or attempt to purchase a catalytic converter, in whole or in part, if the catalytic converter is not attached to a motor vehicle at the time of sale or attempted sale, unless the seller is a used automotive parts dealer or an automotive repair company.”
A bill in South Carolina states “a catalytic converter or any nonferrous part of a catalytic converter unless purchased as part of a vehicle or purchased from a new motor vehicle dealer, motor vehicle repairer, manufacturer, or distributor of catalytic converters whose valid business licenses the secondary metals recycler copies at the time of the purchase transaction.”
Conclusion
It was absolutely fascinating writing about this subject. I honestly had no idea what a catalytic converter was before the post, but did know a lot of people were having theirs stolen. I am interested to see where these catalytic converter state laws go and if they have any impact on the craze!
Cover Photo by Jorge César on Unsplash
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