Catalytic converter thefts ebbed in 2023 in Twin Cities, suburbs

Minneapolis and St. Paul saw a massive drop in thefts of catalytic converters during 2023, an auto part many people hadn't even heard of until thieves made it a household name in recent years.

In 2023, the two cities combined averaged roughly four catalytic converter thefts per day, down from an average of 12 per day in 2022 — and those were just the ones reported to police.

Trends were similar in surrounding cities, data obtained by the Star Tribune show, with a precipitous rise in catalytic converter thefts between 2020 and 2022, before a steep drop last year.

"Over the last couple months, we've maybe seen one or two" cars in the shop for catalytic converter repairs, said Martin Fossum, the service manager at Turbo Tim's Anything Automotive in northeast Minneapolis, which once saw a steadier stream of cars needing the part. "It's really dropped off considerably."

The plummet in thefts may be due to a drop in the parts' value, as well as new penalties for stealing them, according to law enforcement.

Catalytic converter thefts were much more rare until a few years ago, when the precious metals they contain, including platinum, palladium and rhodium, shot up in price, said Minnesota Commerce Fraud Bureau Special Agent Joseph Boche, who directs the state's auto theft prevention program.

As catalytic converters became valuable, thieves became more interested, and more adept at stealing them — often in just a few minutes with the right tool and a couple of quick cuts. Then some organized rings got involved, resulting in a precipitous rise in cases.

It was a headache for law enforcement. The thefts are rarely witnessed, and the parts weren't traceable: If police found a person driving with a trunk full of catalytic converters, they couldn't easily prove the parts were stolen, because manufacturers didn't mark them with information they could be tracked with, like vehicle identification numbers (VINs).

"Occasionally you'd get some [cases] that would have good surveillance cameras or a neighbor that saw something," said Bloomington Police Commander Mike Utecht. "But for most of them, they're a hard crime to follow up on — they weren't traceable."

The frustration surrounding stolen catalytic converters led to government efforts to stanch the thefts.

Bloomington and other cities passed ordinances that made it a crime to possess detached catalytic converters without proper documentation. St. Paul Police held events to mark catalytic converters, hoping to make them less of a target. The state Commerce Fraud Bureau began a catalytic converter labeling pilot program.

In March, the Legislature passed a bill imposing criminal penalties for unauthorized possession of catalytic converters. The law also requires scrap-metal dealers to help track the parts. "Scrap-metal places can't just take these in unless they have identification on where they came from," Boche said.

At least one person in Hennepin County has been charged under the new law, at the felony level, after Minneapolis police found a Sawzall, headlamp and 11 catalytic converters in a car he had been driving, according to the charges.

Thieves may still cross state lines to sell the parts where laws are less stringent, Boche said, but the return on investment is lower.

In October, four Minnesota men were charged in federal court with running a catalytic converter theft operation. They were accused of making $21 million off the stolen parts by selling to high-volume buyers based in New Jersey, Oklahoma, Colorado and New York.

All of those factors may have played some role, but another possible factor is the declining price of precious metals found in catalytic converters.

National data from State Farm insurance show a drop from 23,000 claims in the first half of 2022 to 14,500 in the first half of 2023. Not all states have enacted measures to curb thefts like Minnesota.

Sgt. Garrett Parten, a spokesman for the Minneapolis Police Department, said in an email that the decline in thefts is encouraging, but there's room for improvement. He urged people to report catalytic converter thefts as quickly as possible and include as much detailed information as they can.

Boche said catalytic converter number labels are still available and it's a good idea to use them.

Sgt. Mike Ernster, a spokesman for the St. Paul Police Department, advised parking in a well-lit area because in addition to deterring catalytic converter thieves, it can deter other thefts. The number of cars being stolen, for instance, has increased more recently as thieves take joy rides or steal cars to commit other crimes.

"I always encourage people to be cognizant," he said.