Calgary Police are warning drivers to be vigilant after a spike in thefts of catalytic converters from vehicles.
According to police, there were 205 catalytic converter thefts in 2019, with 112 thefts between October and December alone.
That’s up from 48 in 2018, and 87 in 2017.
The catalytic converter is a part of a vehicle’s exhaust system, meant to reduce pollutants.
The part largely attracts criminals because it contains precious metals that can be sold for cash, and the theft can take less than a minute.
“The work to retrieve them from people’s vehicles is relatively low. They basically cut them off people’s vehicles and then either sell them as a whole part or they will break them down for those precious metals,” said Sgt. Doug Crippen, from the centralized break and enter unit with the Calgary Police Service.
While criminals can make a small profit from stealing the part, the damage done to the vehicle is significantly higher.
“To replace that item for the consumer, that organization or even an individual, it’s astronomical in some situations. We’ve heard recently as low as $2000 for a part all the way up to $18,000 off a Dodge Truck in the city,” said Sgt. Crippen.
For some specialized vehicles that have been targeted, the theft can cause irreparable damage.
“We have school buses in the city that have been targeted and some of those buses cannot be put back into use so for that parent that’s waiting for their children to get picked up in the morning, that bus isn’t coming,” said Sgt. Crippen.
Police say they are having success identifying some people involved in the thefts.
They’re working closely with metal recyclers and monitoring online stores like Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace.
“We are seeing success but what we’re also seeing is it is a complex web. It’s a web of people that are doing this because the reward is high and the risk is relatively low.”
“What we’re trying to do is increase their risk and address the financial piece,” said Sgt. Crippen.
Thieves can also be at risk while stealing the part.
On January 25, police say they discovered a deceased man underneath a vehicle, who was believed to be stealing a catalytic converter.
“These parts, they’re not small, they’re heavy, they’re cumbersome, we don’t want offenders getting hurt either,” said Sgt. Crippen.
According to police, the best way to protect your vehicle from being tampered with is to increase lighting and fencing around it, install an alarm system, and install CCTV cameras.
Edmonton has also experienced a surge in the number of catalytic converters being stolen this winter.
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