ADDISON, Texas — To the untrained eye, it may look like any old hunk of metal, but there’s a chance many of you reading have dealt with this part of your car.. And if you haven’t – consider yourself lucky!
We’re talking about catalytic converters, which is a part of your car's exhaust system.
Across the state of Texas, they’re unfortunately a hot commodity! Thefts of those parts have significantly ramped up in recent years.
A recent study from "BeenVerified" shows there were 102 catalytic converters stolen in 2019.
Compared to just last year, that number was 11,201. That's a more than 10,000% increase in just four years.
Addison Police Lt. TJ Smetzer told us there's a couple reasons for the spike in this crime.
“One, the catalytic converter has precious metals on the inside, and those metals can be removed from the catalytic converter and then resold,” he said.
And not only are they happening more often, Lt. Smetzer says they're happening quickly.
"We've seen videos, security camera videos, where sometimes it'll be just as quick as two minutes, he said. "They'll crawl under the vehicle...use a saw, cut both ends of the catalytic converter to remove it and they'll be gone."
Lt. Smetzer partially attributed a large secondary resale market for the rise in catalytic converter thefts.
"The metals inside can be thousands of dollars," he said. "Then certainly to replace a catalytic converter that's been removed from your vehicle could easily cost thousands of dollars."
In response to the spike, the city of Addison passed an ordinance that makes it a violation to have a catalytic converter that's been removed from a car.
Lt. Smetzer says it's a tool to help officers hold people accountable.
“Right now in the state of Texas, there's no criminal offense for simply possessing a catalytic converter,” he said. “We would have to prove that it was stolen from a specific vehicle, whether the person who's possessing the catalytic converter knew it was stolen."
Now, violating that ordinance is a Class C misdemeanor, which can carry a fine up to $500.
“I think be vigilant, just be careful where you're parking, keep an eye out and then certainly if you have one of those high target vehicles,” said Lt. Smetzer about how you can protect yourself.
For any driver, he suggests taking typical precautions like parking in a well-lit area and closer to the entrance of a business or high traffic areas if possible, to be a little bit safer.
He said specifically for owners of trucks and SUVs to “certainly consider taking extra precautions, like having the cage or a plate soldered on over the catalytic converter.”
According to Zebra.com, if your catalytic converter is stolen, it can cost between $800-2,500 to replace.
Keep in mind, parts for luxury cars can run even higher.
Insurance may cover it if you have comprehensive coverage as well – so this might be a good time to take a look at your policy to make sure everything is in place before something happens.
Addison police say if you if you see anything suspicious, let them know right away either by calling 911 or the non emergency number.
Most departments also have email addresses where you can contact for these issues.
Just keep in mind that that it might not be monitored at all hours.
As always, if you have a traffic concern in your area, you can email us here.
NOTE: The following video was uploaded in Nov. 2022