Dennis Laviage, owner and CEO of C&D Scrap Metal, shows the valuable platinum inside a catalytic converter Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Houston. C&D Scrap Metal takes more than 10 steps before taking in any catalytic converters.

You never really think about the catalytic converter, a little emission control device that sits under your vehicle, quietly converting the engine’s toxic gases into less harmful ones.

Not until it gets stolen and your car roars in disapproval the second it starts.

With 42 claims filed from January to May 2022, Fort Bend County has the second highest rate of catalytic converter theft in the state, according to AAA Texas auto claims data. Dallas and Bexar counties follow closely on Fort Bend’s heels. Harris County maintains a clear lead, with 115 claims filed through May 2022.  

Claims for stolen catalytic converters have jumped 5,300 percent since 2019, according to the AAA report.

The trove of precious metals inside the device—rhodium, platinum, palladium—fetches a fair price from metal scrappers. 

The Sugar Land Police Department said in a statement that the numbers are high because of the county’s proximity to the 4th largest city in the country.  

“There has been an increased number of catalytic converter thefts reported to the police department over the past couple of years,” SLPD said. “If your catalytic converter has been stolen, first, report it to the police department that has jurisdiction over your current location. Second, contact your insurance company to see if it is covered and report it or go to a mechanic shop to get a quote to see if you want to use insurance based on the cost of your deductible.”

A car can run without a catalytic converter. However, Texas law forbids you to drive a motor vehicle with no pollution control system.  Fort Bend County law enforcement agencies have stepped up patrols in response to this disturbing trend, said Sheriff Eric Fagan. “Perpetrators are getting more violent and doing it more frequently,” said Fagan. “The Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies are stepping up, everyone’s working together on this.”

Thieves can sneak under the car and remove the catalytic converter within two to three minutes with a battery powered saw, said Joshua Zuber from AAA. 

Fagan said the stealing of catalytic converters was a crime of opportunity executed by individuals looking to make a quick buck. 

“If it was an organized gang or group operating in the county, they might be easier to catch,” Fagan said. “Most of these thefts occur in broad daylight in the parking lot of a mall where people leave their vehicles for hours and there’s nobody around.”  

 “This crime is a simple crime to commit, low risk in most situations and can make an offender fast money,” SLPD said. “Most large cities and their surrounding areas suffer higher incidents of property crime compared to smaller towns.  Per capita the crime rate is typically the same but overall, the numbers are higher because we have a large and growing population.” 

Any car could be a target, but the vehicles most susceptible to catalytic converter theft are SUVs and fleet vehicles, including school buses. Hybrid cars such as Toyota Priuses have been targeted because they have two catalytic converters. 

The cost of replacing a catalytic converter is approximately $1,000-$3,000. Recyclers will pay $50 to $250 per catalytic converter.

“We also need help from the community and from car manufacturers,” Fagan said. “Reach out to car companies and ask them to start putting (protective) plates on the catalytic converters to make them more difficult to steal.”

“Catalytic converter thefts are spiking all around Texas, and, clearly, very much so in Harris County, according to AAA Insurance claims data,” said Zuber. “That’s why we must bring awareness to the issue – so we can share that this is a growing problem as well as ways for vehicle owners to try to prevent it.”

According to the National Crime Insurance Bureau, the top five states for catalytic converter thefts are California, Texas, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Illinois. Thefts started increasing in 2020 as the pandemic led to higher unemployment, more people working from home and more being vehicles left alone for many days.

AAA Texas offers the following tips to prevent catalytic converter theft: •    When possible, park in well-lit areas and close to building entrances. •    If you have a garage at your house, park your car inside and keep the garage door shut. •    If you own a high clearance vehicle like a truck or SUV, store it in a secure location. •    Have the catalytic converter welded to your car’s frame, which may make it harder to steal. •    Look into buying a converter-protection device that has been developed for the Prius and other vehicles targeted by thieves.  •    Consider engraving your vehicle identification number (VIN) on the catalytic converter – this may help alert a scrap dealer that it was stolen and make it easier to find the owner. •    Security devices, such as locks, are available that attach to the converter, making it harder to steal. •    Calibrate your car’s alarm to go off when it detects vibration. •    Carry a good insurance policy. Most insurance companies cover replacement costs if the vehicle owner has the optional comprehensive coverage, which covers damage to a vehicle not caused by a crash.

Instead of shutting down the program immediately, they let it fade away over the course of a year. A tidal wave of applicants has now rushed to seek billions of additional dollars in last-minute tax breaks.

By Eric Dexheimer and Mike Morris