Catalytic converter theft peaked in 2022, when an estimated 153,000 converters were stolen and insurance claims topped 64,000. Thefts then fell sharply through 2024 as precious-metal prices crashed and police broke up the largest theft rings. The story is not over. Platinum and rhodium prices have climbed sharply off their 2024 lows, with platinum up more than 50% in the past year alone, and cities from St. Paul to Berkeley are logging fresh spikes in 2025 and 2026.
Below are verified statistics on catalytic converter theft, with primary sources for every figure. The numbers come from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, insurer claim data, federal records, and current metals markets.
Key Takeaways
- Catalytic converter theft peaked in 2022, with roughly 153,000 converters stolen and more than 64,000 insurance claims filed, then dropped about 68% by 2024.
- The decline tracked metal prices, not policing alone. Rhodium fell from an early-2021 peak near $29,800 per ounce to under $5,000 by 2024, cutting the profit out of each theft.
- 2025 and 2026 mark a turning point. Rhodium has climbed back above $8,000 per ounce and platinum is up more than 50% in a year, and St. Paul, Minnesota recorded a 193% jump in thefts in 2025.
- The Ford F-150 is the most-targeted vehicle nationwide, while hybrids like the Toyota Prius lead theft counts in the western states.
- The average theft claim is about $2,900, and out-of-pocket replacement can run past $3,500 once labor and collateral damage are counted.
Catalytic Converter Theft Statistics (2026 Data)
The figures below are grouped by theme. Two different measures appear throughout: NICB counts of reported thefts and insurer counts of paid claims. They track the same crime but are not identical, so each statistic names which measure it uses.
National Theft Trends
1. 1,298 catalytic converter thefts were reported in 2018. This is the baseline before the crime wave, drawn from National Insurance Crime Bureau data (Congressional Research Service).
2. Reported thefts rose to 3,389 in 2019, more than doubling in a single year per NICB figures (Congressional Research Service).
3. Thefts jumped to 14,433 in 2020, a 325% increase over 2019 as pandemic-era metal prices climbed (Congressional Research Service).
4. Insurers recorded 16,660 catalytic converter theft claims in 2020, the insurance-side measure of that same surge (National Insurance Crime Bureau).
5. Catalytic converter theft claims rose 1,215% over two years, from 2019 through 2021, as the converter became one of the fastest-growing property crimes in the country (Automotive Fleet).
6. Insurance claims peaked at 64,701 in 2022, the worst year on record and a jump of more than 200% from 2020 (National Insurance Crime Bureau).
7. An estimated 153,000 catalytic converters were stolen in 2022, a figure that counts thefts beyond just insured claims (Carfax).
8. Catalytic converter theft claims averaged more than 5,000 per month in 2022, based on the NICB’s count of 64,701 claims that year (National Insurance Crime Bureau).
9. Total losses from catalytic converter theft in 2022 have been widely estimated near $1.5 billion, counting replacement parts, labor, and uninsured vehicles on top of filed insurance claims (National Insurance Crime Bureau).
10. Reported thefts fell to about 43,750 in 2023, averaging roughly 3,600 per month as the wave began to recede (Consumer Reports).
11. Thefts dropped to about 14,000 in 2024, a 68% decline from 2023 and the lowest annual total since 2020 (Consumer Reports).
12. State Farm logged a 74% drop in theft claims between the first half of 2023, with more than 14,800 claims, and the first half of 2024, with fewer than 3,800 (State Farm).
13. Just 10 states accounted for 73% of all catalytic converter thefts between 2022 and 2024, with theft heavily concentrated in a handful of high-population states (Consumer Reports).
| Year | Reported thefts (NICB) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 1,298 | Pre-wave baseline |
| 2019 | 3,389 | Doubling begins |
| 2020 | 14,433 | +325% over 2019 |
| 2021 | (claims +1,215% vs 2019) | Sharpest acceleration |
| 2022 | ~64,701 claims (~153,000 est. stolen) | Peak year |
| 2023 | ~43,750 | First decline |
| 2024 | ~14,000 | -68% vs 2023 |
The 2025 and 2026 Resurgence
14. Catalytic converter theft is rising again in 2025 and 2026, reversing a two-year decline, as rhodium has climbed about 39% in the past year back toward the prices that drove the original wave (Trading Economics).
15. St. Paul, Minnesota recorded 504 catalytic converter thefts in 2025, up from 172 in 2024, a 193% increase in a single city (MoneyGeek).
16. Berkeley, California saw 9 catalytic converter thefts in the first week of January 2026 alone, an early signal of the renewed trend (MoneyGeek).
17. Theft tends to resurge when rhodium prices top $8,000 per ounce, typically with a 6-to-12-month lag between the price climb and the theft spike (MoneyGeek).
18. The price elasticity of catalytic converter theft is about 1.98, according to University of Wisconsin research, meaning a 10% rise in metal prices is linked to a roughly 20% rise in thefts (MoneyGeek).
19. Models tied to metal prices project that the 2024-to-2026 price rebound could push thefts up 57% to 249%, based on the historical link between precious-metal values and converter theft (MoneyGeek).
Precious Metal Prices Drive the Theft Cycle
20. Catalytic converters contain platinum, palladium, and rhodium, the precious metals that filter exhaust and make a stolen converter worth cutting off (Carfax).
21. A single converter holds roughly 3 to 7 grams of platinum, 2 to 7 grams of palladium, and 1 to 2 grams of rhodium, a few grams of metal that can be worth hundreds of dollars (Consumer Reports).
22. Rhodium peaked near $29,800 per ounce in early 2021, briefly worth more per ounce than gold and igniting the theft wave (Trading Economics).
23. Rhodium fell to about $4,800 per ounce by 2024, which removed much of the profit from each stolen converter and helped thefts collapse (Forbes).
24. Rhodium traded around $8,050 per ounce in June 2026, up roughly 39% from a year earlier, climbing back to the level that historically triggers theft (Trading Economics).
25. Platinum traded around $1,777 per ounce in June 2026, up more than 50% year over year, restoring the value of a stolen converter’s catalyst (Trading Economics).
26. Palladium traded around $1,240 per ounce in June 2026, up about 18% year over year, the third precious metal pushing converter scrap value back up (Trading Economics).
27. Thieves are typically paid $50 to $300 for a standard catalytic converter at a scrapyard, and up to $800 to $1,400 for a hybrid converter with higher metal content (Carfax).
28. The recoverable metal in a single converter is worth roughly $200 to more than $1,000, which is what drives the resale market (Carfax).
29. All three converter metals are up double digits over the past year, reversing the 2024 price crash that had pulled thefts down with it (Trading Economics).
| Metal | June 2026 price | Year-over-year change |
|---|---|---|
| Rhodium | ~$8,050/oz | +39% |
| Platinum | ~$1,777/oz | +52% |
| Palladium | ~$1,240/oz | +18% |
Metal prices are as of June 2026 and move daily. All three sit below their 2021 peaks but well above their 2024 lows.
Most-Targeted Vehicles
30. The Ford F-150 is the most-targeted vehicle for catalytic converter theft nationwide, according to Carfax theft data for 2024 (Carfax).
31. Trucks and SUVs are targeted because they sit high off the ground, letting a thief slide underneath and cut without a jack (Carfax).
32. Hybrids are targeted because their converters hold more precious metal, since the catalyst runs cooler and corrodes less, leaving more recoverable platinum and rhodium (Carfax).
33. The Toyota Prius is the most-targeted vehicle in the western states, where the hybrid is common and its converter holds more recoverable precious metal (KTLA).
34. The Honda CR-V ranks highest in New England and the Mid-Atlantic, showing how the most-stolen model shifts by region (Carfax).
35. The 10 most-targeted vehicles nationwide are led by the Ford F-150 and Ford Explorer. The full ranking and year-over-year rank changes are below (Carfax).
| Rank | Vehicle | Rank change |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ford F-150 | +1 |
| 2 | Ford Explorer | +6 |
| 3 | Honda Accord | -2 |
| 4 | Toyota Prius | -1 |
| 5 | Honda CR-V | -1 |
| 6 | Chevrolet Equinox | No change |
| 7 | Toyota Tacoma | No change |
| 8 | Kia Soul | +3 |
| 9 | Chevrolet Traverse | +6 |
| 10 | Chevrolet Cruze | -1 |
Theft by State and City
36. California recorded 24,102 catalytic converter thefts between 2020 and 2022, more than any other state during the peak.
37. California and Texas together saw more than 32,000 catalytic converter thefts in a single year during the wave, the two states hit hardest (MEL Safety Institute).
38. Nearly two-thirds of all NICB-reported thefts in 2024 occurred in California, showing how concentrated the crime became as national totals fell (Consumer Reports).
39. The states with the most theft claims are California, New York, Illinois, Texas, and Florida, based on insurer claim data (Automotive Fleet).
40. Every top state posted sharp declines from 2023 to 2024 in State Farm data, with California claims falling from about 5,400 to just over 2,000 and Texas dropping from about 1,450 to roughly 140 (State Farm).
41. The cities reporting the most catalytic converter theft include Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, and the San Francisco Bay Area, along with Baltimore, Atlanta, Phoenix, Portland, Seattle, and Sacramento.
42. Providence, Rhode Island cut theft events from 631 in 2022 to 73 in 2023, one of the steepest local declines on record (Carfax).
43. Chattanooga, Tennessee saw thefts fall 76% in the first 10 months of 2023 compared with the same period in 2022 (Carfax).
What a Stolen Catalytic Converter Costs
44. Replacing a stolen catalytic converter costs between $1,000 and $3,500 or more, depending on the vehicle make and model (Consumer Reports).
45. The average catalytic converter replacement runs $2,177 to $2,506, with high-end jobs topping $3,300 before any collateral damage to wiring or sensors (Consumer Reports).
46. The average catalytic converter theft claim is about $2,900, based on insurer payout data (State Farm).
47. State Farm paid about $11.2 million to customers for converter theft in the first half of 2024 alone, even after thefts had fallen sharply (State Farm).
48. At the 2022 peak, State Farm handled roughly 45,000 theft claims and paid about $115.4 million, the scale of a single insurer’s exposure in the worst year (State Farm).
49. Replacement converter availability fell only 5.1% in 2023 even as thefts dropped far more, leaving many owners waiting months for parts (Carfax).
50. Comprehensive auto insurance covers catalytic converter theft minus the deductible, commonly $250, $500, or $1,000, while liability-only policies do not cover it at all (Progressive).
How Thieves Steal Catalytic Converters
51. Catalytic converters are easy to cut off with battery-powered saws or even simple hand tools, which is why a theft takes only minutes (Consumer Reports).
52. High-clearance trucks and SUVs are the easiest targets because a thief can slide underneath without a jack, usually overnight in an unattended lot (Consumer Reports).
53. A 2025 peer-reviewed forensic study linked reciprocating-saw blades to stolen converters through toolmark analysis, giving investigators a way to tie tools to thefts (Journal of Forensic Sciences).
54. Catalytic converters have been required on U.S. vehicles since 1975, which is why every gas-powered car on the road carries the part a thief wants (MEL Safety Institute).
Laws and Federal Enforcement
55. California, Minnesota, and Washington require VIN etching on converters and tighter scrap-dealer rules, the state-level response that helped curb the wave (Forbes).
56. Scrap-documentation laws also exist in the Carolinas, Indiana, New York, and Texas, requiring recyclers to record converter sales (Consumer Reports).
57. The federal PART Act was introduced in the Senate in July 2025 and the House in September 2025 but is not yet law. The Preventing Auto Recycling Theft Act, filed as S.2238 and H.R.5221 in the 119th Congress, would require the vehicle’s VIN to be stamped on new catalytic converters (Congress.gov).
58. The proposed PART Act would make selling a tampered converter a federal offense, fund a grant program to mark VINs on converters, and require buyers of used converters to record seller details and keep them for at least two years (Congress.gov).
59. A federal takedown traced more than $545 million in stolen-converter sales to a single metal refinery, the processor at the center of the national theft network (U.S. Department of Justice).
60. The November 2022 federal takedown charged 21 people and executed 32 search warrants across nine states, seizing homes, bank accounts, cash, and luxury vehicles (U.S. Department of Justice).
Commercial Fleets and Parking Lots Are Prime Targets
Catalytic converter theft is not only a problem for individual car owners. The data shows thieves deliberately work non-residential lots, parking structures, dealership lots, and fleet yards where many vehicles sit unattended overnight.
Fleet operators reported converter thefts climbing roughly 288% over two years at the height of the wave, and company vehicles parked in open lots were hit hardest (Automotive Fleet). Businesses in high-theft areas also carry a second cost: comprehensive premiums and deductibles climb where theft claims cluster, and only comprehensive coverage pays for a stolen converter (Progressive). The National Insurance Crime Bureau advises fleet owners to park off-duty vehicles in enclosed, well-lit, alarmed, and monitored areas.
That last point is where prevention meets practice. Businesses protecting fleet yards, dealership lots, and employee parking cut their exposure with commercial security cameras, license-plate recognition, and live video monitoring that flags after-hours activity before a saw ever touches a converter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which vehicle has the most catalytic converter thefts?
The Ford F-150 is the most-targeted vehicle for catalytic converter theft nationwide, according to Carfax. The Toyota Prius leads in the western states, where the hybrid is common and its converter carries more precious metal.
How common is catalytic converter theft?
Catalytic converter theft peaked in 2022, with more than 5,000 thefts reported each month. It fell to about 14,000 total in 2024, then began rising again in 2025 and 2026 as metal prices recovered.
How much does it cost to replace a stolen catalytic converter?
Replacing a stolen catalytic converter costs $1,000 to $3,500 or more, depending on the vehicle. The average insurance theft claim is about $2,900.
Does insurance cover catalytic converter theft?
Comprehensive auto insurance covers catalytic converter theft minus the deductible. Liability-only coverage does not, which is why many owners of older cars pay out of pocket.
Final Thoughts
Catalytic converter theft is a price-driven crime. It surged when rhodium and platinum spiked in 2021 and 2022, fell when metal prices crashed and police broke up the major rings, and is climbing again now that those metals have rallied sharply off their 2024 lows. The 2023 to 2024 drop was real, but the 2025 and 2026 data shows it was a pause, not a finish line.
For businesses, the exposure is concentrated where vehicles sit unattended: fleet yards, dealership lots, parking structures, and employee lots. Safe and Sound Security has protected more than 20,000 locations nationwide, helping commercial and government operations secure those vehicles with monitored surveillance, license-plate recognition, and access control sized for large lots and multi-site operations. If converter theft is climbing in your area, talk to our team about securing your property.
