catalytic converter

The Chula Vista Police Department is trying to crack down on catalytic converter thefts. Catalytic converters, which help control a car’s emissions, have been especially popular among thieves during the coronavirus pandemic.

Catalytic converter thefts are on the rise in California. One way to prevent it is to get your catalytic converter engraved with your VIN number. The Chula Vista Police Department is helping do that. NBC 7’s Ramon Galindo has more.

More than 8,000 Californians have reported having their catalytic converter stolen in the first five months of 2021, according to police and auto insurance data analyzed by BeenVerified. That’s a 33-percent increase for 2020 and a whopping 380-percent increase over 2019, when only 1,254 thefts were reported.

With a jump in catalytic converter thefts, more San Diegans are left unable to drive

Thieves are cutting catalytic converters from vehicles parked on streets and in driveways, looking to cash in on the metals found inside.

There is a new warning about catalytic converter thefts. According to auto repair shops, they are happening so often that victims are now waiting weeks for a replacement before they can drive their car again.