Oscar Chan / Student reporter
There has been a rise in thefts surrounding the Catalytic converter since January 1, 2021. Very recent reports of Catalytic converters being stolen have been showing and the converters are also being sold on the black market for money, the reason being the increase of price for the valuable metals that are in the Catalytic converter, including Platinum, Rhodium and Palladium according to CBC news.
The Catalytic converter is a part in the exhaust system that convert toxic pollutants into less potent materials that help reduce pollution in the environment. The surge in price has come from emission standards being stricter than before, therefore, manufacturers require more of these metals to create these parts making the metals more expensive as they are on-demand.
Trucks and SUVs are targets as they are more raised than other vehicles making it easier to access the underside where the converter is located. Certain brands of vehicles are being targeted such as Honda, Ford and Hyundai.
It seems like many citizens have been experiencing these thefts, “It’s unbelievable, now if I have a vehicle I think’s going to be targeted, I take the air out the tires, so they can’t slither underneath.” said Mr. Turriff.
It is advised by CBC to park in a garage to be safer, if that isn’t an option, park in well-lit areas as it is safer, you will want to do this as insurance doesn’t fully cover stolen converters as you need to pay a betterment fee which is expensive.
Sources
Spike in thefts of catalytic converters as precious metal prices rise
Catalytic converter thefts rise as metal inside ‘more valuable than gold’
Police warn of spike in catalytic converter thefts thanks to valuable metals
Catalytic converter thefts on the rise
Thieves Nationwide Are Slithering Under Cars, Swiping Catalytic Converters