How To Prevent Catalytic Converter Theft

RV Life

Prevent Thieves From Stealing Your RV’s Catalytic Converter

Catalytic converter theft has been on the rise in recent years. Also known as the cat, catalytic converters are easy to access and quick for thieves to unbolt or cut away from the exhaust system. Thieves can steal a calalytic converter in minutes, and it is impossible to trace them back to the vehicle they came from.

Scrap metal buyers pay between $300 and $1,500 for a catalytic converter. This can be a lot of money for just a few minutes of easy work for a thief. They don’t care that this vital part of your vehicle’s exhaust system can cost thousands of dollars to replace. It really makes sense to take steps to prevent thieves from accessing your catalytic converter. In this article, we’ll look at how to prevent catalytic converter theft from your RV or truck.

Why do scrap metal dealers buy stolen catalytic converters?

Catalytic converters were developed in the early 1970s to help reduce vehicle emissions. Your converter uses the precious metals palladium, platinum, and rhodium to create a chemical reaction that results in fewer harmful emissions.

It’s not hard to figure out why scrap metal dealers are so eager to buy catalytic converters from thieves. On the commodity market, palladium and rhodium have really gone up in value over the last five years. While the value of platinum has fallen over the last year, it’s still worth a lot of money. To see why scrap metal dealers like buying catalytic converters from thieves, let’s look at a five-year price comparison:

Rhodium price comparison (5 year)

August 24, 2017 – $1,095/oz
August 24, 2022 – $14,250/oz

Palladium price comparison (5 year)

August 24, 2017 – $939/oz
August 24, 2022 – $2,038/oz

Platinum price comparison (5 year)

August 24, 2017 – $980/oz
August 24, 2022 – $877/oz

Catalytic converters in hybrid vehicles and in large vehicles (like RVs) contain larger amounts of these precious metals. This is why thieves like to target them the most. Thieves can get under a pickup truck, SUV, or RV, unbolt or cut away the catalytic converter, and be gone within minutes. They tend to work late at night or early in the morning. While having an alarm system or a camera can help alert you to their activities, you probably won’t be able to be there fast enough to interrupt them.

4 Ways To Prevent RV Calalytic Converter Theft

When it comes to preventing catalytic converter theft, it’s all about making the cat more difficult to access and less desirable. While having an alarm system and/or camera may be helpful, these things rarely deter thieves who can have your catalytic converter off and be long gone in minutes.

A better deterrent to thieves is if your catalytic converter is easy to identify and hard to reach. Here are a few proven ways to prevent catalytic converter theft from any vehicle.

Be aware of your surroundings when you park

Avoid parking in parking lot stalls that are far away from foot traffic or not well lit. Thieves like to work where they can hit multiple targets quickly in one area. Parking lots after dark are ideal territory for thieves because they can get more than one catalytic converter without anyone noticing they are there. Look for well-lit locations. Also, read campground reviews and learn more about the areas you’re visiting.

Paint your catalytic converter

Painting your catalytic converter with high visibility, high-temperature paint may make it less desirable to thieves who might not be able to sell it as easily as one that isn’t painted. If you don’t wish to crawl under your vehicle to paint your catalytic converter yourself, there are many mechanics who provide this service.

Make it easy to identify

Engrave your license plate number or VIN into the housing of your catalytic converter to make it easy to identify. That way, police can use it for evidence if a thief or scrap metal dealer gets caught. For this reason, if your catalytic converter is to identify, a thief will lose interest in it.

You can easily use an engraving tool to carve a VIN onto your catalytic converter. If you aren’t up to the task, many mechanics provide this service. It’s also a good idea to check with your local police department to see if they’ll etch an ID on your catalytic converter free of charge.

Install a cage or rebar

Most RV and auto mechanics can weld a cage or rebar around your catalytic converter for you. If this doesn’t work for you, you there are commercial anti-theft shields that help prevent catalytic converter theft. The only problem is that you will need to remove the cage or rebar if the cat needs service. However, making your catalytic converter difficult to reach will make it less likely to be missing when you go to start your vehicle.

Conclusion

There is no single way to prevent catalytic converter theft. However, you can make your vehicle an unlikely target for thieves by parking in busy areas and marking the cat with bright paint and etched identification. If you really want to discourage thieves, you can weld a cage rebar or shield around your catalytic converter. You can also replace your original cat with an aftermarket catalytic converter, which has a smaller amount of precious metals in it.

In addition, it is important to make sure you have comprehensive insurance on your vehicle that will cover the replacement of your catalytic converter if it gets stolen.

Forums such as iRV2.com and blog sites like RV LIFE, Do It Yourself RV, and Camper Report provide all the information you need to enjoy your RV. You’ll also find brand-specific information on additional forums like Air Forums, Forest River Forums, and Jayco Owners Forum.