Catalytic Converter Theft: Don't Be A Victim, Gloucester PD Warns

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — Catalytic converter thefts have seen a significant increase across the country since March 2020, the start of the global pandemic, the National Insurance Crime Bureau reports.

"It's an opportunistic crime. As the value of the precious metals contained within the catalytic converters continues to increase, so do the number of thefts of these devices," said David Glawe, President and CEO of NICB.

According to the Gloucester Township Police Department, over the last few decades more countries have been enacting stricter emission standards. There is now more demand for catalytic converters, which means there’s more demand for their metals.

"The metals inside of them are platinum, palladium, and rhodium and are all extremely rare, so their prices have gone way up. On top of that they’re also used in a lot of electronics, which boosts demand even more," Gloucester Township police said via Facebook.

Rhodium was about $600 per ounce five years ago. Today it’s over $21,000 per ounce, which is 10 times the price of gold. One catalytic converter has about $400 worth of rhodium in it, according to police.

"So people are cutting catalytic converters out of cars and trucks and selling them for scrap," police said.

The Gloucester Township Police Department offers some tips to prevent a criminal from stealing your catalytic converter:

• Park in well lit areas.
• Park close to building entrances or the nearest road in public parking lots.
• If you have a personal garage, store your vehicle inside it.
• Add video surveillance to the area where you park your vehicle.
• Install a catalytic converter- specific security device, or have it welded to the car frame, or engrave your vehicle's VIN number on it.
• Install and/ or adjust the security system on your vehicle to activate for vibrations, such as those produced by a saw.