Rising thefts of catalysts

Rising thefts of catalysts


 
Rising thefts of catalysts
While catalyst theft is nothing new, it has resurfaced around the world for just over a year. There are waves of massive thefts in various American states, in western Canada and in Quebec. Recently, a series of thefts has been noted in Beauce.

Why now ?

The prices of precious metals needed to control emissions found in catalytic converters are on the rise. All catalytic converters contain Palladium, Rhodium and Platinum. Palladium was worth around $ 500 an ounce five years ago, but hit $ 2,875 an ounce in 2020. Rhodium was worth $ 640 an ounce five years ago, but hit $ 21,900 l ounce recently, it is more than 10 times the price of gold. The same goes for platinum which is worth the price of gold. These materials are found in catalytic converters, so it's no wonder thieves want them. Increased demand for these metals from countries like China and other countries whose emerging auto markets are implementing more emission controls has pushed up prices.

A catalytic converter is easy to steal

Since catalytic converters contain small amounts of these precious metals, they become an object of covetousness by thieves. Scrap metal dealers will offer between $ 150 and $ 200 for each catalyst they receive. For the owner who's been robbed, however, it costs up to $ 2,000 to replace the catalytic converter. The main problem with this whole thing is that it's pretty easy to steal a catalytic converter. It only takes a few minutes to unscrew or remove them from under the vehicle. Trucks and SUVs are more targeted because the more generous ground clearance makes the job easier.

Are there more targeted models?

Some cars would be more targeted than others. The Toyota Prius is especially attractive to thieves because they know their catalytic converters don't have to work as hard to reduce emissions. This means that there is a possibility that more precious metals may still be intact in the converter if the car has driven a lot of miles. Of course, the same can be said of any hybrid or plug-in hybrid vehicle these days.

Trying to defend yourself against catalytic converter thieves is no easy task. They can slip under a car and saw it quickly, then slip out into the night. The easiest and best defense might be to park your car in a lighted area that has surveillance cameras or leave your vehicle in the garage, if you have one.

Realizing the problem, catalytic converter manufacturers are currently working on alternatives to precious metals that would make theft much less attractive.