CAR PART THEFT IN AREA ON RISE
Law enforcement vows new strategies to thwart removal of catalytic converters
Thefts of catalytic converters have skyrocketed during the pandemic, prompting a more aggressive response from Southern California police agencies in warning car owners about the crime and helping them fight back.
Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Thomas Giandomenico likened the trend to a “nationwide pandemic,” with the department saying such thefts in its jurisdictions jumped from 741 in 2019 to 2,767 in 2020.
The lost converters, typically cut from the exhaust system by thieves who may be equipped with saws and jacks, represent headaches for thousands of vehicle owners typically having to pay several hundred or even thousands of dollars to replace the stolen part.
Many in law enforcement noted that while it’s not a new crime, many agencies previously didn’t differentiate between stolen
“These guys will drive around in teams with a jack, pull right next to [a car], reach under the car, give [the jack] a couple pumps, take a Sawzall, cut cut, [the catalytic converter] drops out, you bring it and throw it in the trunk with the jack and drive away.”
— Aaron Scheller, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy
catalytic converters and other property thefts, but some departments have started tracking converter thefts.
In Orange County, for instance, 83 such thefts were recorded by the Sheriff’s Department in 2019, said Sgt. Dennis Breckner, spokesman for the department. In 2020, they shot up to 542, Breckner said.
“There was an obvious increase in 2020,” Breckner said. “As to why, I can only speculate that with many out of work (these crimes have increased.)”
Likewise, the Los Angeles Police Department recorded a 164% increase in these thefts from 2019 to 2020, with 3,180 crimes last year.
As of Wednesday in Riverside, at least 157 crimes involving the theft of more than 400 catalytic converters have been reported since Dec. 1, 2020, said Officer Ryan Railsback, spokesman for the Riverside Police Department.
A catalytic converter is a key part of a pollution-fighting emissions control system in vehicles fueled by gasoline and diesel fuel. Located in the undercarriage, it’s part of the exhaust system and contains a catalyst, which converts harmful gases like carbon monoxide into substances like water, nitrogen and carbon dioxide. Some vehicles have multiple converters.
A driving factor has been an uptick in the value of some of the precious metals that catalytic converters are made of, including rhodium, palladium and platinum. Breckner said the price of an ounce of palladium and rhodium has soared to $500 and $640, respectively, in the past five years. Because of market forces, the metals lately have sold for about $2,300 and $27,000 per ounce.
A stolen catalytic converter can fetch $100 to $200, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Aaron Scheller. LAPD Capt. Paul Vernon speculated some mechanics, recyclers and various other middlemen pay between $200 to $500 apiece.
Others that get caught up in buying these stolen goods range from rogue individuals, organized groups or junkyards, Scheller said. The State of California Auto Dismantlers Association, however, disputes its members would be involved.
Los Angeles County sheriff’s Lt. Thomas Giandomenico likened the trend in catalytic converter thefts to a “nationwide pandemic.” Such thefts in the department’s jurisdictions jumped from 741 in 2019 to 2,767 in 2020.
the station’s leadership to form ideas to begin striking back at the thieves, Giandomenico said.
The solution was to organize events to etch a car’s license plate or partial vehicle identification numbers onto the catalytic converter using a carbon-tipped engraver. The etched information helps law enforcement return to the rightful owners any stolen converters that are recovered.
Such free “etch and catch” events are happening more frequently at LASD stations.
Besides VIN etching, which can be done at a shop or at home, drivers can consider having the bolts on their catalytic converters welded on by a mechanic and may want to buy a “cage clamp” device that will make theft much more difficult, according to the Palm Springs Police Department.
Practical solutions are also recommended, such as parking cars in a locked garage or keeping them in a well-lit area, the Police Department said in a Jan. 28 Facebook post.
Aside from various precautionary tactics, there is not much else that can be done to ensure any car sitting on the street won’t be victimized. Deputies explained that it’s not common to find people in the act of stealing catalytic converters due to how fast it can happen, sometimes as quickly as 45 seconds, according to Scheller, who likened their efficiency to a NASCAR pit crew.
“These guys will drive around in teams with a jack, pull right next to (a car), reach under the car, give (the jack) a couple pumps, take a Sawzall, cut cut, (the catalytic converter) drops out, you bring it and throw it in the trunk with
the jack and drive away,” Scheller said.
Cars may still function without a catalytic converter, but the difference will be pretty obvious as it will make a car sound “like a motorcycle,” said Officer Rudy Gatto, spokesman for the Irwindale Police Department, which has been dealing with a surge in converter thefts from commercial vehicles.
A vehicle missing a catalytic converter would likely not pass a state smog inspection, given that even a “leaky” catalytic converter would prompt a failed test, according to the state DMV.
Many participants in a Feb. 24 “etch and catch” event acknowledged they had not been victimized by the crime and noted that it was not very prevalent in Diamond Bar. However, they were happy to be prepared in the event their vehicles are targeted.
“Hopefully if these thieves have got any smarts, they’re going to look to see if (the catalytic converters) are marked and they’re going to say, ‘What’s the point if it’s marked if it’s going to lead back to me possibly,” said Steve Derrico, a Diamond Bar resident.
With these tactics becoming the new trend to curb the issue, Giandomenico does not believe law enforcement will eliminate the crime altogether.
“I think the price is going to drive the crime and I’m going to drive people getting arrested by our ingenuity,” Giandomenico said.