2023-05-22 12:07:55
NY and Washington., A driver who gets in his car and starts it will know immediately that his catalytic converter has been stolen just by the new full-blown roar of his engine, and his only consolation is that he is not alone, he is one of thousands who have suffered from the new wave of thefts in the United States dedicated to extracting the precious metals in the exhaust system of cars, some of which are now worth more than gold.
The theft of catalysts has increased more than a thousand percent since 2019, reports the National Crime Insurance Bureau (NICB), an independent organization dedicated to insurance issues, from 2019 to 2022. In 2020, 16,660 insurance applications were registered for these thefts, but by 2022, the most recent figures, the NICB recorded more than 64,000 catalyst thefts, with the states of California and Texas topping the national list.
But these figures are only for victims who file claims with their insurers. Therefore, it is assumed that there are many more of these incidents that go unreported, and some estimates, such as that of Carfax, indicate that total thefts might be greater than 150,000 nationwide in 2022.
In New York City, catalyst thefts have increased from just over 2,000 to regarding 7,000 between 2021 and 2022, according to the New York Police Department. In Los Angeles, there were regarding 8,000 catalyst thefts in 2022, an increase from 972 in 2018. But the phenomenon occurs in towns and cities in all regions of the country, with some experiencing dramatic increases in crime, such as Alabama, which reported an increase in catalyst thefts of 1,754 percent between 2019 and 2022.
The reason is that the precious metals contained in these devices – rhodium, palladium and platinum – have skyrocketed in value. These metals are mined and produced mainly in Russia, South Africa, Canada and the United States. Palladium and platinum are worth between $30 to $50 per gram, and rhodium has reached up to $400 per gram, and each catalyst contains several grams, so they can be sold for up to $1,000. These metals are worth more than gold.
Metal recyclers pay between $50 and $250 for a stolen catalytic converter – and some as much as $800 to $1,200 for hybrid vehicles. For victims, purchasing and installing a new catalytic converter can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $3,500.
Catalytic converters from certain car brands are the most sought following, including Toyota’s Prius, Tacoma and Camry, and Honda’s Accord and CR-V, reports CBS News. For an experienced thief, stealing a catalyst can be a couple of minute operations.
While some thefts are at the hands of independent criminals, there are also increasing indications that organized crime gangs are operating in the increasingly attractive business. Late last year, joint federal, state and local public safety agencies conducted a nationwide operation once morest a network of thieves, dealers and processors dedicated to stealing catalysts that were sold to a metal refinery for tens of millions of dollars. reported the Department of Homeland Security. Others estimate that this network obtained 500 million in three years in stolen catalysts.
The operation was carried out in eight states, including New York and California, and 21 defendants were arrested. There are several other cases where multiple individuals have been prosecuted for the theft of tens of thousands of catalysts.
The crime wave has prompted legislators in 39 states to introduce bills to establish increased penalties and regulations to try to curb and reduce the theft of catalysts. In Los Angeles, the city council passed a measure making it illegal to possess an unconnected catalytic converter without proof of ownership, allowing police to arrest anyone who cannot prove ownership of the device and punishable by up to 6 months. jail time or up to $1,000 in fines. At the federal level, a bill has been introduced in the lower house to combat catalyst theft through various measures.
But the black market for these precious metals continues to grow within the United States and internationally, with these key ingredients for the modern world fueling one of the oldest illicit trades: mineral theft.
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