Officials warn of surge in catalytic converter thefts from vehicles

Long Island and state officials are taking steps to combat a recent surge in the theft of catalytic converters from private vehicles and dealership lots.

The devices — which are attached to a vehicle's muffler and located underneath the chassis — contain precious metals such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium, and are used to convert toxic engine exhaust into less harmful gasses. 

State officials said the value of those metals skyrocketed in recent years, making catalytic converters a hot commodity on the black market, with a street value between $200 to $500.

On Thursday, the state Department of Motor Vehicles said they'll work with local auto dealers’ associations to distribute kits that can etch a traceable serial number onto catalytic converters that can be tracked back to the original vehicle if it's recovered by police after a theft. A serial number would also enable law enforcement to charge the individual in possession of the stolen catalytic converter.

“In addition to the cost to replace the stolen parts, these thefts often result in thousands of dollars in additional damage to the vehicle, which means a dealer has to wait to sell the vehicle or a new car buyer has to wait significantly longer to receive their vehicle,” said DMV Commissioner Mark Schroeder.

The NYPD, National Insurance Crime Bureau and New York Anti Car Theft & Fraud Association have purchased up to 1,000 kits each to distribute to dealers, officials said.

Authorities said catalytic converters are most commonly stolen from Toyota, Lexus, and Honda vehicles.

The vehicles tend to be parked on streets, in parking lots or at new car dealerships, where thieves typically enter lots with hacksaws or other tools and cut the catalytic converters off vehicles. Police say it takes only 90 seconds for a thief to get under a car and swipe the device.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, parts of the state have seen 200% annual increases in catalytic converter thefts, the DMV said.

Statistics show thieves have been targeting catalytic converters more often in Nassau than in Suffolk.

At this point last year, Nassau police recorded 50 such thefts while there have been 402 thus far in 2022, according to the department's spokesman Det. Lt. Richard LeBrun.

Meanwhile, Suffolk police have recorded 200 catalytic converter thefts thus far this year, including 90 in January alone, officials said.

Last month, 14 catalytic converters, with an estimated value of more than $14,000, were stolen from a Garden City Park bus depot, Nassau police said. 

In March, three Philadelphia men were charged with stealing catalytic converters off cars in Long Beach. Long Beach detectives said they believe the suspects, who were posing as construction workers, are one of several theft crews operating around the region.

And in January, three Pennsylvania men were arrested after stealing a catalytic converter from the underside of a car in New Hyde Park, authorities said.

Last month, Nassau lawmakers introduced legislation requiring businesses buying catalytic converters, such as a junkyard, to obtain information from the seller, including their ID, a copy of title, and the make, model and vehicle identification number of the car that it came from. 

“By collecting this important data, we will be able to better track the items during investigations,” Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said at the time. "To better protect yourself against theft, all residents should try and park their vehicles in a well lit area and call the police immediately if they see any suspicious persons or vehicles.”

The cost to replace a catalytic converter can be from $1,000 to $3,000, depending on insurance coverage. Larger vehicles typically have more expensive catalytic converters and some newer vehicles have two.

In addition to the loss of the catalytic converters, thieves will often cut the fuel and electric lines, adding $5,000 to $10,000 in damage per vehicle, state officials said.

“Catalytic converter thefts have risen dramatically over the past two years and are at record highs," said National Insurance Crime Bureau Regional Director Kevin Gallagher. "Vehicle owners pay a high price when a thief targets their catalytic converter, often incurring lost income from missing work, needing to find and pay for alternate transportation and then paying thousands of dollars to repair the vehicle.” 

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.