Catalytic Converter Thefts Are Surging, And These Are Cars Being Targeted

Nobody ever wants to have their car broken into, and historically, assuming thieves didn't make off with your entire car, they'd most likely be looking for a quick score, stealing something from inside like a stereo deck or whatever else they could find lying around the interior. These kinds of break-ins still happen, which is why not leaving valuables in your car is one of the top tips for preventing theft in the first place.

Unfortunately, there are other "valuables"  on a car that cannot simply be removed each time you park. Wheels and tires have long been a target for theft, with locking lug nuts being one tool to ward off would-be wheel thieves. But in recent years, there's been another kind of automotive crime that might be even more costly and harder to prevent — catalytic converter theft.

Catalytic converter theft in America is not a new phenomenon. This crime first became widespread back in the late 2010s and rose exponentially in the early 2020s – enough to make governments take notice and to spring up a whole industry dedicated to protecting catalytic converters, which are both valuable to thieves and vital to modern automobiles. For a couple of years, it seemed like these things were helping to bring thefts down. Now, though, catalytic converter thefts are surging once again – and as before, there are certain vehicles more likely to be targeted, including both large pickup trucks and fuel-sipping hybrids alike.

Catalytic converters are an integral, legally mandated part of a vehicle's exhaust system used to reduce emissions, and they've been mandatory on almost all new vehicles sold in the United States for more than 50 years. Thieves, though, aren't concerned with how catalytic converters work or how they help the environment. They simply want to get a hold of the valuable, rare earth materials inside of them – metals like rhodium, platinum, and palladium. 

After a few years of downturn, the current rise in catalytic converter thefts is tied directly to the rise in value of the metals inside them. At the moment, rhodium is selling for over $10,000 an ounce – more than enough to make thieves and black market traders take the risk. While all modern vehicles have catalytic converters, some models are prime targets for theft because of their metals and the ease of access. 

The Toyota Prius might be the car most commonly associated with this crime, and there are a couple of reasons for this. First, as a hybrid, the Prius's catalytic converter degrades more slowly, preserving more of the metals inside it. Second, Prius catalytic converters are relatively easy to access, with experienced thieves being able to cut them off in about 90 seconds.

Nationwide, however, numbers show that the Prius is not the top target for catalytic converter theft. 2024 data from Carfax shows the Ford F-150 pickup as the most targeted vehicle in America for this crime, partly because F-150s are so common in general and partly because their high ground clearance makes it easy for thieves to get underneath. Along with the aforementioned Prius, other targets in the CarFax top five include the Ford Explorer, Honda Accord, and Honda CR-V.

Ultimately, while thieves do have their preferred targets for this crime, there's lots of overlap between the cars most likely to have their catalytic converters stolen and America's best-selling cars in general. There's a chance a thief could target your vehicle, no matter what you drive, and the repairs can be extremely costly. Depending on the model, replacing a stolen catalytic converter can easily cost a few thousand dollars, which is enough for insurance companies to total certain older cars that have been hit. 

If you own one of these targeted models, or any vehicle with a catalytic converter, really, the best way to avoid theft is to simply park your vehicle in a location inaccessible to thieves. Obviously, though, that's not possible for everyone. Fortunately, there are a number of devices that can help protect catalytic converters from thieves, which could be a worthy investment depending on what you drive and where you park.