Catalytic converter thefts rise steeply, NICB reports

As of February 2021, 18 states were evaluating whether legislative action is necessary to stymie catalytic converter theft, according to the NICB. (Credit: Kim2480/WikiCommon)

Since March 2020, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) found an average of 1,200 incidents of catalytic converter theft in the U.S. per month. This is a marked uptick from an average of 282 monthly catalytic converter thefts in 2019.

A component of some car exhaust systems, catalytic converters are devices that convert hazardous emissions into less harmful gases. Comprised of precious metals such as platinum, palladium and rhodium, which had a value of $14,500 per ounce in December 2020, recyclers will typically pay from $50 to $250 per catalytic converter, making them targets for thieves.