Catalytic converters are stolen and sold to scrap metal dealers for the precious metals within them like platinum, palladium, and rhodium.
It can take a thief less than two minutes to steal the catalytic converter from your vehicle, and it will cost you roughly $1000-2000 to replace. Here are some tips for preventing this from happening:
- Install an alarm on your vehicle that will go off when vibration is detected
- Have a muffler store install an anti-theft device, which requires more time and tools to remove
- Paint your catalytic converter a fluorescent color using high-temperature paint
- Engrave your VIN or DL in large numbers that are easy to see
- Get to know your neighbors so you can recognize suspicious persons casing parked vehicles
And if you see something, say something!
