Have you heard reports of catalytic converter thefts spiking in your community? Auto part thieves have been popping up across the country, and they're after one thing that is expensive and easy to access from the undercarriage of your car. Your catalytic converter.
If you're new to an area or traveling and curious about tips for parking your car where it is least likely to be targeted by a catalytic converter thief, the reality is unless your car is parked in your home garage, it is never entirely safe from danger. But we have some helpful tips and solutions to deter criminals from crawling underneath your car to steal this valuable exhaust auto part.
Where You Should Park To Deter Catalytic Converter Thieves
Avoid any dark alleys or roads near tall hedges or brush that can hide a team of criminals who pull up alongside your vehicle. Park close to the curb, too, in order to take away a side entrance for thieves looking to slide beneath your vehicle. Well lit, monitored areas will always be better choices than not.
A 2022 study by BeenVerified reports that catalytic converter thefts rose 208% since 2020 with California being one of the top states for the auto part crime. Nationwide thefts have increased 16% compared to 2021, with a reported 44,500 thefts in just the first seven months of the 2022 year. No wonder keyword searches for "stolen catalytic converters" and "how to safeguard my catalytic converter" have skyrocketed on search engines.
But as drivers wait to see if car crimes continue to rise or decrease in 2023, there are protective measures to take to prevent your car from falling victim to a thief with a hacksaw. If you aren't parking in a garage with patrolling security and cameras, you can try and park your car where there are bright streetlights.
More Surefire Ways to Prevent Catalytic Converter Theft
According to the top ten list of most targeted cars for catalytic converters by CarFax, the Toyota Prius and Honda Element are prime targets for crooks. Many hybrid models carry two catalytic converters, which will hold more valuable metals, thus creating a higher resale value on the black market. Also, large fleet or family trucks like the Tundra are larger, easier to sneak beneath, and also contain more metals like palladium, rhodium, and platinum, within their converter body.
However, no matter what type of car you drive, it can become targeted by wandering, early morning thieves if parked outside during the daytime or night. There have been reports of converter thefts straight out of the home driveways of drivers and even while a car or truck is parked at the supermarket. Thieves can strike anywhere, so park closer to the establishment you are visiting if possible. There are only so many places to safely park, though. So your best option to protect your undercarriage from catalytic converter theft is to attach a protective guard.
Adding a catalytic converter shield to your undercarriage fully prevents access with a hacksaw. There are other prevention methods like a catalytic converter lock or alarm, but an experienced criminal can still bypass these accessories.
A Cat Security shield is a sure way to protect your catalytic converter while your car is parked. Sleep soundly, knowing if a crook slides beneath your car with a saw and sees a giant metallic plate covering your exhaust parts, they'll likely slide right back out and move onto their next target.
Our undercarriage shield guards are foolproof. If you don't happen to see the fitted shield for your car, get on our waiting list. We'll notify you when we have your catalytic converter guard in stock!