Catalytic converters are an integral part of a vehicle’s exhaust system, located in the undercarriage and easily accessible from under the vehicle. Catalytic converters convert harmful chemicals produced by car engines, such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides, into “benign” carbon dioxide and nitrogen.

A car can function without a catalytic converter, but it will not pass emissions tests, making it illegal to drive. Vehicle health and efficiency are also reduced, and unconverted pollutants from exhaust fumes are toxic to humans and harmful to the environment.

The reason catalytic converters are one of the most stolen auto parts is because they have precious metals inside. Sections inside the converter, called ‘honeycombs’ because of their resemblance to a honeycomb, are coated with precious metals such as platinum, rhodium and palladium.

Most catalytic converters are so easily accessible that a thief can remove them in just a minute or two. Stolen scrap can sell for between $150 and $1,500, depending on the converter’s car model.

In 2022, Arizona will rank ninth in the nation for thefts of catalytic converters, according to State Farm insurance data. Most state thefts occur in the Phoenix metropolitan area, but Flagstaff has also seen an increase in incidents over the past two years.

Flagstaff’s rise is likely due to COVID-19 causing supply chain problems for metals used in converters, causing their values ​​to rise dramatically.

The task to investigate the theft of catalytic converters is the Flagstaff Police Department (FPD). Michael Hansen has been with FPD for nine years and is one of his detectives investigating the theft of converters.

Despite an increase in flagstaff thefts of converters, Hansen said there has only been one arrest involving a catalytic converter. He said the low arrest rate for these crimes is because it’s very difficult to track down stolen converters without serial numbers.

“Bicycle theft is even easier [to investigate] Sometimes,” said Hansen. “Bicycle theft is made easier with serial numbers as they can be tracked in quality records.

If the act of cutting the converter does not catch the thief, it is unlikely that he will be caught because there is no traceable paper trail when the converter is sold.

Hansen said a key reason for the successful arrest, which took place in November 2021, was that a witness called the police while taking a video of a car believed to be involved in the theft of a converter. I was. He said it was thanks to the video that Hansen identified the car and arrested two suspects.After obtaining a search warrant, police who inspected the car found his 12 I found a catalytic converter.

Another reason converter thefts are difficult to investigate is that victims may not realize they are missing a converter until they turn on their car and hear the trademark noise that a vehicle without a converter makes. is high. There have been reported cases of drivers turning on their cars for the first time in days or weeks, Hansen said, so the converters may have been stolen long before police noticed.

Investigating converter thefts in Flagstaff can be particularly difficult, Hansen said, because police suspect the stolen converters are being sold in Phoenix. He said Flagstaff does not have a facility where converters can be sold.

“It’s really difficult. [metal facilities] Here it is,” said Hansen. “Having something like that here would make tracking a little easier. [converters] Or at least follow up in these places. ”

The newly introduced Automatic Recycling Anti-Theft Act (PART) is being debated in the Senate as converter thefts rise nationwide and the resulting difficulty in investigating thefts. The law raises converter theft to a class 6 felony, and those found guilty can face up to 18 months in prison and fines of up to $150,000.

The PART method also requires new catalytic converters to have a traceable identification number.

Hansen said the identification number could help track down stolen converters, as buyers would need to keep a log of the number, making it easier to prove the converter was stolen.

Under the PART Act, it is illegal for anyone to buy, sell, or advertise used catalytic converters, and replacement converters must always be obtained from reputable sellers.

Kodiak Namingha has worked for O’Reilly Auto Parts for eight years, managing the Route 66 West location for the past five years. Namingha said even without the new law, it’s important to buy converters from reputable sellers.

“Better buy [converters] Because from a reputable place, you can actually go all the way to those catalytic converters and punch out what we call honeycombs because they look like honeycombs,” Naminga said. If you punch out a , you won’t be able to tell the difference between what’s inside and what’s not. [Thieves] It could still be taking that metal and selling that catalytic converter. ”

At O’Reilly, converters become more popular throughout the spring and summer.

Last year, Namingha said O’Reilly sold nearly 40 converters during the warmer months alone.

Naminha, who owned an auto parts store in the Valley, said converter theft had become such a common problem that he and his team began marking the converters themselves.

“When I was running the store in Mesa, we had a lot of problems with the delivery vehicles,” says Namingha. “We got to the point where we just painted with a high temperature paint that looked like a very bright orange. [the converters] When people tried to sell our catalytic converter to the junkyard, they would find it stolen. ”

O’Reilly replacement converters can cost between $100 and $2,000, Namingha said, depending on the vehicle model and type of converter. This price does not include installation not offered by O’Reilly. Victims of converter theft may need a mechanic to perform a complete repair.

Arron Stump has been the owner of Randy’s Downtown Garage for the past seven years. He said the number of missing catalytic converters has increased over the past two years.

In 2022, Stump said his shop has handled 10 vehicles with missing catalytic converters.

“The most common is the Honda Pilot, which is the most accessible,” says Stump. “[Pilots have] The most common we’ve seen here. Lots of Honda Elements. Mitsubishi Outlanders are fairly common, but Flagstaff doesn’t have too many Outlanders. ”

Stump said thieves broke into a line of cars parked in front of Harkins and brought six cars to his shop in a row.

“They were all parked at Harkins,” Stamp said. “It was within a few weeks. Six cars came in in a row. All four were next to each other and I believe the insurance company was waiting to pay for the catalytic converter.”

Purchasing and installing a new catalytic converter can cost between $2,000 and $3,000, depending on the vehicle, Stump said.

Hansen said that in an era when converter theft was more common, he and other detectives conducted multiple overnight stakeouts to try and catch thieves in theft.

To reduce converter theft, FPD is telling communities to be mindful of where they park and talk with apartment owners about improving the video quality of their security cameras, Hansen said.