Catalytic Converter Theft: Manufacturers, Middlemen Making Money From Wave Of Thefts

SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) — Catalytic converters, the smog-reducing devices connected to the tailpipe under your car, are a prime target for thieves these days. For a street-level crime, it’s very lucrative: a thief can get several hundred dollars for just one catalytic converter. But we’ve learned there are big players behind the scenes who are raking in much more than that.

Thefts of catalytic converters hit record highs last year according to insurance industry data. Under cover of the night, thieves slither under cars armed with a flashlight and a battery-powered saw, slice the prized converters off, and dash away.

“These guys, they are like NASCAR!” said Steve Elstins with West Coast Muffler in Concord. “They pull up, there’s a jack guy, there’s a saw guy.”

“It’s probably taking less than two minutes,” said Chris Sullivan with the Smog Shop in San Francisco. Muffler shops across the Bay Area and the state are seeing an all-time record number of victims coming in.

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