Catalytic converter theft is on the rise in Montgomery County. (Community Impact Newspaper staff)
Motor vehicle part and accessory thefts surged in Montgomery County in 2021, and law enforcement officials said the rise is largely due to the increase in catalytic converter thefts.
According to insurance claim data reviewed by the National Insurance Crime Bureau, catalytic converter theft increased 325% nationally in 2020, and Texas was ranked second among states with the most catalytic converter thefts. According to the NICB, metal recyclers will typically pay $50 to $250 per catalytic converter.
The number of vehicle part and accessory thefts in Montgomery County increased 185% from 2019 to 2020, and it increased an additional 280% from 2020 to 2021, according to data collected by the Texas Department of Public Safety from 10 of the 13 law enforcement agencies in Montgomery County. A total of 334 catalytic converters were reported stolen in 2021, up from 20 in 2019, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
Capt. Tim Holifield of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office South Patrol Division said law enforcement agencies began working together in the fourth quarter of 2021 on joint initiatives to target common crimes, including the theft of catalytic converters.
“This is probably the first of its kind where we actually, on a moment’s notice, put resources out there to target [the crime],” Holifield said during a township board of directors meeting Jan. 26.
Detective Sgt. Joel Gordon with the Shenandoah Police Department said Shenandoah officers frequently catch people with multiple stolen converters in their car at one time.
SPD began tracking catalytic converter thefts in May 2021. According to the department, there were 43 reported thefts from May to December 2021. From Jan. 1 to Feb. 21, there were 25 reported thefts.
Oak Ridge North also saw an increase in catalytic converter thefts at the start of 2022. According to the Oak Ridge North Police Department, the city reported one theft in 2020, eight thefts in 2021 and three thefts in January.
Protection against theft
Because catalytic converters are unmarked, law enforcement officials said it is difficult to return the recovered items to the vehicle’s owner.
“I can’t look at the catalytic converter and tell what make and model of a vehicle it came off of, much less year [and] color,” Gordon said.
According to the NICB, engraving the converter with the vehicle identification number will prevent the stolen property from being sold, and it will allow law enforcement to easily identify the vehicle it belongs to.
The township offers engraver kit rentals to residents through its Operation ID program, and a kit can be checked out through the Neighborhood Services division.
New legislation
Legislation aimed to discourage theft in the 2021 session includes Texas House Bill 4110, which went into effect in September. The bill increases criminal penalties for knowingly purchasing stolen catalytic converters and adds certain requirements relating to the purchase of catalytic converters by metal recycling entities.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the new bill requires the seller of a catalytic converter to provide to the metal recycling entity information such as the year, make, model and VIN for the vehicle from which the catalytic converter was removed as well as a title or other document showing ownership.