San Jose Police hope program stops thefts

The San Jose Police Department announced a new program Feb. 14 to enable auto repair shops to paint or etch identifying information on a car's catalytic converters in an effort to address the spike of thefts across the country.

Starting this month, three auto shops will receive etching equipment provided by the San Jose Police Foundation and can etch catalytic converters as a part of regular maintenance work, according to a news release.

“By etching identifying information into catalytic converters, we will give officers another tool for investigating these thefts and holding thieves accountable, and we will protect our neighbors from the burden of an unexpected and costly car repair,” said Rob Fisher, president of the San Jose Police Foundation.

Participating partners include the Capitol Honda at 745 Capitol Expressway, Stevens Creek Toyota at 4201 Stevens Creek Boulevard and Speedee Midas at 1825 East Capitol Expressway.

The program follows a sharp increase in reported thefts of catalytic converters, which contain precious metals, including platinum, palladium or rhodium, and make a gaspowered engine's internalcombustion emissions less noxious. The metals have skyrocketed in value as car-emissions standards have tightened.

The San Jose Police Department

concluded a six-month investigation in December that led to the arrests and criminal charges for more than a dozen people, the closing of three scrap-metal shops and the recovery of more than 1,500 stolen converters. Fifteen people were arrested on suspicion of crimes including grand theft, receiving stolen property, possessing illegal weapons, and assault with a deadly weapon, police said.

San Jose police said catalytic converter thefts in the city increased from 84 in 2019 and 784 in 2020 to 1,087 last year through Oct. 2021, a 1,200% increase in less than two years.

Thefts have been reported across the U.S., mostly targeting oldermodel hybrid cars because the converters are situated in a way that makes them easier to access without any barriers installed. Other converter-theft spikes have been reported last year in San Leandro, Livermore, San Bruno, and Santa Cruz.

Authorities said any vehicle made after 1974 can be targeted for catalytic converter theft, but most often, trucks and SUVS and lighter vehicles are more susceptible. The most common areas for theft include driveways and streets, auto dealer lots and parking lots.

In order to prevent theft, police have advised people to park their cars inside a secure yard or garage, leave on exterior lights or install motion detector lights if they park their car outside, install a cage around the catalytic converter or additional metal on their exhaust system and get their license plate number etched on their catalytic converter.;

Staff writer Robert Salonga contributed to this report.