How can i protect my catalytic converter from being stolen

Thieves are stealing catalytic converters from cars at alarming rates to cash in on the precious metals inside them. Average replacement cost "is getting near a thousand dollars as the cost of the converters just keeps going up," says Don Johnson, proprietor of Johnny Franklin's Mufflers in San Rafael, California. "On the higher end it can be $3,000," he says, especially for a truck or large SUV that may have dual exhausts and much larger catalytic converters.  

Cats contain a small but expensive amount of precious plating metals that include platinum, palladium and extremely costly rhodium which are the catalysts for a chemical reaction that reduces toxicity in exhaust. A New York Times report in February estimated the overall auto, parts and repair industries will spend $40 billion on precious metals to make cats this year.  As long as the prices for the precious metals remain sky high, catalytic converters may remain an attractive target for thieves who sell them into an illicit metal recovery or "washing" market.  

Here's what you can do to protect the "cat" in your car. 

• Have a catalytic converter guard installed. These range from nice bolt-on premade metal guard plates to crude DIY (but cheap) rods of rebar welded around your cat to make it harder to get it out. There are some downsides, including cost and potential complications when you need to get your car smog checked or have its exhaust system repaired. But those are fairly small annoyances compared to the cost and hassle of replacing a stolen cat.
• Park in a place that makes it hard to get under the car. Even blocking a couple of sides may convince a thief to move on to the next car.

• Be particularly careful where you park a truck or SUV as they have higher ground clearance that almost beckons a thief to slide under them. Those kinds of vehicles also tend to more and more expensive cats than a smaller vehicle, further increasing the attraction to thieves.
• Park where traffic, pedestrians, or police are more likely to pass by. I would also say park in a well-lighted place, but judging by some cat theft videos it seems to make little difference and almost serves as a convenient work light for thieves.  
• Have a muffler shop inscribe all or part of your car's VIN on your catalytic converter. It won't stop theft but it can help police connect the dots if they catch a thief with stolen ones.
• Buy a daily driver made before the mid-1970s like my 1967 Mercury Cougar. No cats, no smog tests!

By the way, don't follow any loopy advice to remove your cats. They do an important job of "cooking off" and converting most of the nastiest engine emissions into something much less toxic and, will confuse your car's engine control unit if missing and render your car unregisterable in smog test states. Things like catalytic converter bypass or "test" pipes are not a legal way to circumvent emissions equipment requirements on any car that will be operated on public roads.

A white work van in Davie Plaza. A box truck at Coral Springs Industrial Park. A Cadillac Escalade parked in the driveway of a Miami home. What do all these vehicles have in common? They all had their catalytic converters stolen.

Catalytic converter theft has risen sharply all across Broward County, South Florida, and the rest of the country since 2020. In fact, data suggests that these crimes have increased 400% in just 24 months. It’s not just data, either; anecdotally, just about every muffler repair shop has become inundated with vehicles that had their catalytic converters taken. Local shops and auto service centers can’t even leave vehicles out overnight for fear of thieves going to town underneath the cars.

Why? Long story short, catalytic converters (or “cats”) contain precious metals, like rhodium, that sell for more than even gold at scrapyards. Opportunistic thieves, equipped with pneumatic car jacks and cordless saws, have taken note of this. In less than a minute, these criminals can steal a vehicle’s cat and hightail it before anyone even notices it. Worst of all, location and time of day don’t matter – crooks are sliding under cars in busy parking lots, during the middle of the afternoon, and while homeowners are sleeping comfortably in their beds.

In effect, it’s fairly easy for these punks to make out like literal bandits, and cops are having a difficult time catching them in the act. Even as new state laws are being put in place to deter criminals, preventing catalytic converter theft is easier said than done. However, you do have several good options to protect your car from seeing a sawblade.

1. Park in a Garage

The only foolproof way to stop catalytic converter thieves at your home is to park inside a garage. They can’t cut away and steal what they can’t access.

2. Add Surveillance

If you don’t already have surveillance cameras or lights around your home, or if yours is due for an update, now’s the time to invest in a good security system. You’ll want cameras that you can view in real-time, motion-sensor lights, and perhaps even an alarm system to complete the package. If your security company offers any sort of “police response” service, add it – you can’t always have eyes on your vehicle, so why not pay someone to?

3. Put Up a Security Fence

To go a step further, you can erect a private security fence to surround your house. They’re pricey, of course, so this should really be a last-ditch effort or a security measure for extra peace of mind.

4. Install a Catalytic Converter Cage or Guard

Several products exist to help deter catalytic converter theft. They’re mostly affordable and can be installed by anyone familiar with the underpinnings of a vehicle (though your auto service center would know best).

Catalytic converter straps, like the Catstrap ($130+), are designed to lay across your cat and provide a dense protective layer that is difficult to saw through. This deters experienced thieves from even attempting to snatch it, as multiple saw blades may be required to cut through the straps.

Then there are catalytic converter shields or plates, like the MillerCAT Cat Shield ($140+) or Cat Security Cat Shield ($100+), that are bolted or even welded to the vehicle’s frame. These catalytic converter anti-theft devices are usually made of high-quality, durable metal, like stainless steel or aluminum, and lay over top of your cat, hiding it from view. Unfortunately, many of these shields are fitted for specific vehicle models, so you may have to look elsewhere.

A more universal option is a catalytic converter cage or lock, like the CatClamp ($175+). This device uses aircraft-grade rope and attaches directly to the exhaust pipe and frame of the vehicle at multiple anchor points. Any attempts to steal the converter will require cutting all wires, which is far too time-consuming for thieves.

Some vehicles have numerous catalytic converters, so you may require multiple cat locks. Speak with your auto service center or body shop for advice.

5. Spray Paint

For a cheap way to prevent catalytic converter theft, check out the paint aisle at your local home improvement store. A brightly colored, high-temperature spray paint, like the kind you use on grills or heat vents, can be spritzed all across your converter. The brighter the color, the better, as you want thieves to take one look and run away.

Why spray paint? To sell stolen catalytic converters, crooks need to remove all the paint, otherwise, it may not be able to be recycled. That, of course, takes too much time for your average thief looking to make a quick buck.

6. Etch Your VIN

Ask your auto service center to etch your vehicle’s VIN or your license plate into the cat. If it does get stolen, and police are able to recover it, they can then use that identification marker to locate its owner (you).

Etching an identification marker in your converter, especially if it’s highly visible, may also deter crooks outright. This is because some states make it illegal for scrapyards to buy any part that isn’t owned by the seller; if the VIN or plate number (or whatever mark you’ve left) isn’t associated with the seller, those criminals will be up the creek with just a piece of metal as a paddle.

7. Get a Catalytic Converter Alarm

A rocker alarm or some specialized catalytic converter alarm, like Fast Guard Alarms ($25+) or the Cateye ($179+), is a good option to alert the whole neighborhood of potential thieves. Once activated, these motion-sensor alarms sound off whenever the catalytic converter is jostled. They’re easy to install, though they’re also not as difficult to uninstall if you catch our drift. Inexperienced cat thieves may see these and leave right away, but some of the pros may simply cut the alarm off and get on with the cutting. Your mileage may vary.

8. DIY Cat Converter Lock

Handy with a welder and know your way around the undercarriage? You can certainly try to make your own catalytic converter cage out of old rebar. It’s not the prettiest solution, but it can be done cheaply and in your own garage.

9. Change Your Insurance

While this isn’t a way to prevent catalytic converter theft, it is a way to prevent you from paying a lot to get your stolen cat replaced. A low-deductible insurance policy that covers vehicle parts theft is in your best interest if you are worried about someone cutting your converter out. This is especially true if you own a vehicle that is commonly targeted, like hybrid vehicles, large trucks, and big SUVs.

10. Go Electric

Catalytic converters are in every gas and diesel vehicle that comes off the factory line. Electric vehicles, however, don’t need or require cats, as they have no exhaust and pollution to filter out. Something like the new Cadillac Lyriq is a great investment to protect you from cat theft, and there are several other electric luxury vehicles coming out in the near future.

If you need help installing a catalytic converter lock or getting a stolen catalytic converter replaced for your Cadillac, please contact our Miami auto service center at (305) 417-6083 or schedule an appointment online. We’re located at 2060 Biscayne Blvd and serve the entire South Florida community.

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