Car thief crushed ⚰️ “Catalytic Converter”

Car thief crushed ⚰️ “Catalytic Converter” How Many Catalytic Converters Were Stolen in 2022? As Many As 153,000 Catalytic converter theft has been a serious threat to car owners for years, but it turns out there have been far more incidents than previously reported, new Carfax data shows – as many as 153,000 in the U.S. in 2022. Carfax data scientists came up with that estimate after a deep dive into catalytic converter replacements from millions of service records. The total is up 2% from 2021 when media reports had put the number of insurance claims for catalytic converter replacements at roughly 52,000. Carfax data scientists looked at all catalytic converter replacements across the U.S., not just those that were part of an insurance claim. They took into consideration converters that were replaced because they were defective or had been recalled by the manufacturer, converters replaced because they were too old and failing, and converters stolen off of cars sitting on dealer lots. Clearly, thieves aren’t picky about whom they target. They’re committing “opportunistic crimes,” says Sgt. Matt Casavant with the Maine State Police. “Parking lots – even ones that were well-lit – were getting hit. Car dealerships are getting hit regularly, too. The thieves were so brazen that it didn’t matter,” Casavant said. These thefts still top the news – even the well-known Oscar Mayer Wienermobile reportedly had its catalytic converter stolen in Las Vegas last month. Those earlier numbers were derived from insurance claims, but the reality is that many car owners don’t file a claim. Why? Some car owners don’t carry insurance. Owners of older vehicles may not have comprehensive coverage which would cover this kind of damage. Getting a replacement catalytic converter isn’t cheap: Experts say they can run from $2,000 to $3,000.