Catalytic converter thefts spike in Sask. as thieves covet precious metals

Some thieves in Saskatchewan have a new favourite target.

Thefts of catalytic converters have increased fivefold this year, according to claims data from SGI.

The toaster-sized car part, which filters a vehicle’s exhaust, have been disappearing at a high rate as thieves covet the precious metals inside.

To date, there have been more than 170 catalytic converter theft claims made to the Crown insurance company. There were just 34 for all of 2019.

“This has been a issue not just in Saskatchewan,” SGI spokesperson Tyler McMurchy told 650 CKOM’s Brent Loucks on Thursday.

“These things contain precious metals like platinum and rhodium. It might be tied to the cost of those metals going up in the world market.”

People climb under vehicles and remove the devices, then sell them to an auto wrecker or metal recycler.

The cost of the claims is just over $500,000. However, McMurchy points out many vehicle owners have chosen to cover the cost out of pocket so the actual number of thefts likely is higher.

To deter thieves, McMurchy recommends parking in well-lit areas, using motion-activated lights and parking inside if a garage is an option.

“For people who are really worried about this, there are devices on the market that are designed to prevent it, like a cage you can weld around it,” McMurchy said. “Some people engrave their vehicle’s identification number on the converter itself, which might help alert a scrap dealer that it was stolen.”