UPDATE: The Orange County Sheriff’s Office shared a community update on Wednesday reporting there have now been 13 reports of stolen catalytic converters in February.

Orange County residents have reported a recent rise in catalytic converter thefts in February, according to law enforcement records.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office reports eight instances of catalytic converters being stolen from vehicles in February, with the most recent theft from this past weekend. Additionally, two other thefts were reported in January.

The vehicle part, known for reducing emissions from automobile exhaust, sits between engines and mufflers, and have become recent targets for thieves across the country. Authorities say thieves take the converters for the expensive metals in the converter that reduce the levels of harmful emissions from cars, like palladium, rhodium, gold, or platinum. The New York Times reports the price of palladium recently surpassed the price of gold per ounce, while rhodium prices are around 12 times more valuable than gold.

Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood says recyclers often purchase stolen catalytic converters to extract the metals and sell them for a profit. He said the parts are also more difficult to track than others.

“Generally, a catalytic converter does not have a Vehicle Identification Number stamped on it, making it difficult to trace a stolen converter back to a specific victim’s vehicle,” said Blackwood. “Additionally, thieves can remove a catalytic converter quickly, especially from vehicles that sit high off the ground such as trucks and SUVs.”

Hybrid vehicles are typically targeted in these thefts because their lack of gasoline use means more precious metals reside in the converter. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office says of the nine catalytic converter thefts reported so far in 2021, five of them belonged to Toyota Priuses. Most people fail to realize something is wrong with their vehicle until it makes loud noises when running.

Blackwood said county residents concerned about these thefts can take several cautionary steps to protect their vehicles.

“Although putting a VIN or other owner identification number on your catalytic converter might help with recovery if yours is stolen,” said the sheriff, “prevention is the best defense. For example, keep the vehicle in a garage at night. If you do not have access to a garage, park in a well-lit areas or within view of surveillance cameras. There are some shields and theft prevention devices on the market. Do some research and talk to a mechanic to see if they are a good idea for you.”

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office says anyone with information regarding recent catalytic converter thefts can contact Investigator Jason Nazworth at 919-245-2960.

 

Photo via the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

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