Johnny Wactor, the “General Hospital” actor, discovered that someone stole the catalytic converter from his car on Saturday. Unfortunately, one of the thieves then shot and killed Walkerto, according to witnesses and the LAPD.
Homicides over the catalytic converter are rare, but thefts of this vehicle part still occur with alarming frequency. Thieves stole 27,609 catalytic converters in the U.S. last year, with more than half of the thefts occurring in California, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. This is a significant decrease from the more than 64,700 stolen in 2022. However, as of last year, catalytic converter thefts have increased dramatically, quadrupling since 2020.
It seems strange that this particular part of the car attracted the attention of so many criminals, especially for such a harmless purpose. Catalytic converters clean car exhaust fumes and make the air we all breathe safer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency calls the catalytic converter “one of the greatest environmental inventions of all time” on its website. But it’s not what the catalytic converter does that attracts desperate criminals. Here’s what’s inside.
Typically, platinum costs over $1,000 per ounce, palladium is almost the same, and rhodium is about $5,000 per ounce. They react chemically with exhaust gases, breaking down compounds such as carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide and small amounts of unburned fuel into less harmful substances.
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The catalytic converter is a metal cylinder or flat oval that is part of a vehicle’s exhaust system. It is usually located underneath the vehicle, with the exhaust pipe running from one end to the other. The interior is a honeycomb structure coated with a metal more valuable than gold.
These metals, combined with the open position of the catalytic converter, make it a target for theft. Additionally, unlike some other auto parts, catalytic converters are often not marked with a vehicle identification number, making it difficult to trace a stolen converter back to the actual theft.
Unlike other car parts under the hood, locking your car won’t necessarily deter catalytic converter thieves, who might reach under the car and saw through the exhaust pipe. The popularity of SUVs with high ground clearance has made this job easier.
While these prices may seem prohibitive, they are actually much lower than they have been in recent years. A few years ago, the price of rhodium was approaching $30,000 per ounce. Coupled with tougher enforcement against such thefts and tougher penalties for people who steal converters or buy stolen converters, this has led to a recent decline in theft rates, according to the NICB.
In addition, as car engines become more efficient and burn cleaner, catalytic converters are becoming smaller and use less metal, said Richard Vitas, senior manager at exhaust parts company MagnaFlow. There just aren’t that many dirty exhausts to clean up, which is one reason why thieves might target older models.
Vitas says some new cars have at least one catalytic converter (a car may have more than one) near the engine, where it can work more efficiently because it can stay hotter. This also helps prevent some thefts since the torque converter is more difficult to access the engine block.
Federal legislation currently under consideration would require catalytic converters to be labeled with an identification number so that stolen converters can be traced back to a specific vehicle, making it easier to prosecute crimes. The National Automobile Dealers Association is actively promoting a new law, the Prevention of Auto Theft (PART) Act, a spokesman said.
According to Scott Vollero and Christopher Gaines, co-founders of ScrapCATapp.com, an auction site for used catalytic converters, etc., used catalytic converters sell for anywhere from $25 to $1,000, etc., depending on the metal content that depends on the make and model of the car. .
In most cases, catalytic converters are sold to recycling companies that remove the material to create new catalytic converters. Vitas said recycling waste is much cheaper than using newly mined metals. No matter how old the catalytic converter is, these metals are still present.
“This cat always contains these metals, and all you have to do is go through the process of removing the metal and any contaminants from the substrate,” he said.
Of course, the cost to the victim is much higher, as a catalytic converter replacement can cost over $2,000 (including parts and labor).
While it may not seem like a big deal, a stolen catalytic converter can make your vehicle virtually undriveable. If your catalytic converter is stolen, the first thing you will likely notice is a sound. When starting the engine, the car will sound very loud because once the exhaust pipe is cut off, the exhaust gases will no longer pass through the car’s muffler. This is the part that reduces or eliminates engine sound.
You will then notice an orange “Check Engine” light and may also smell the smell of raw exhaust fumes wafting towards you. If you continue driving, you may also notice uneven acceleration as the engine no longer has to push exhaust gases down a long pipe past the catalytic converter and muffler. Since the engine is configured to run with back pressure, a non-functioning exhaust system will cause performance problems.
If this happens, do not drive. Report the theft to the police and your insurance company. Replace the catalytic converter. The good news is that this is at least a little less likely to happen these days. And the electric vehicles that are gaining market share have no catalytic converters at all to steal.
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Post time: Jul-08-2024