# Catalytic Converter Thefts Skyrocket In Denver **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [February 14, 2021, 1:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/catalytic-converter-thefts-skyrocket-in-denver/174969 "2021-02-14T01:48:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Robert-Gift](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/robert-gift/32/356_2.png) [@Robert-Gift](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Robert-Gift)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2021, 1:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/catalytic-converter-thefts-skyrocket-in-denver/174969/1 "2021-02-14T01:48:13Z")
> **[Catalytic Converter Thefts Skyrocket In Denver](https://denver.cbslocal.com/2021/02/12/denver-police-catalytic-converter-thefts-stolen/)** > > In 2019, Denver Police received 15 reports of stolen catalytic converters. In 2020, there were 257. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2021, 2:20am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/catalytic-converter-thefts-skyrocket-in-denver/174969/2 "2021-02-14T02:20:02Z")
AC coils, manhole covers, catalytic converters, copper gutters, walnut trees, sad to see. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2021, 2:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/catalytic-converter-thefts-skyrocket-in-denver/174969/3 "2021-02-14T02:56:11Z")
here we go again . . . death to thieves no redeeming qualities whatsoever they’re wasting oxygen and other resources that could be better used by more deserving people ---
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2021, 3:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/catalytic-converter-thefts-skyrocket-in-denver/174969/4 "2021-02-14T03:23:09Z")
Palladium is now more expensive than gold. > **[Thieves Nationwide Are Slithering Under Cars, Swiping Catalytic Converters](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/09/climate/catalytic-converter-theft.html)** > > The pollution-control gadgets are full of precious metals like palladium, and prices are soaring as regulators try to tame emissions. Crooks with hacksaws have noticed. ---
**Author:** ![Robert-Gift](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/robert-gift/32/356_2.png) [@Robert-Gift](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Robert-Gift)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2021, 1:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/catalytic-converter-thefts-skyrocket-in-denver/174969/5 "2021-02-15T13:54:22Z")
What if one _“unknowingly”_ got in androve away, killing the criminabeneath? ---
**Author:** ![ledhed75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@ledhed75](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ledhed75)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2021, 3:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/catalytic-converter-thefts-skyrocket-in-denver/174969/6 "2021-02-15T15:37:14Z")
Reminds me of the scene in Unforgiven: “You just killed an unarmed man!” “Well, he should have armed himself.” ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2021, 3:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/catalytic-converter-thefts-skyrocket-in-denver/174969/7 "2021-02-15T15:45:59Z")
> [@Robert-Gift](#): > > What if one _“unknowingly”_ got in androve away, killing the criminabeneath? Good luck catching them at the right time. Stealing a cat takes less than 2 minutes with a battery-powered sawzall. If we really want to stop this we need to start shutting down metal recyclers who accept catalytic converters without taking steps to make sure they weren’t stolen. Not just slapping them with fines, because when you pay maybe $150 for a cat (if that) and get 2+ grand for selling what’s inside, fines become just a cost of doing business. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2021, 3:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/catalytic-converter-thefts-skyrocket-in-denver/174969/8 "2021-02-15T15:54:34Z")
Then it would not be a crime. No intent to harm, no knowledge of the result of your action. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2021, 3:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/catalytic-converter-thefts-skyrocket-in-denver/174969/9 "2021-02-15T15:59:44Z")
My old county in Ohio made scrap yards check I.D. and photo everyone who brought scrap because copper and AC unit thefts had exploded back in 2011. Same seems true here in Florida, I needed an ID to drop off scrap at the pay places. No such issue when I went to the county site and paid them to drop off my scrap. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2021, 4:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/catalytic-converter-thefts-skyrocket-in-denver/174969/10 "2021-02-15T16:01:54Z")
Yeah. Some yards have started requiring cat sellers to tell them the make, model, and VIN of the vehicle it’s from or they won’t buy. That’s smart, because the average cat thief is running around town all night swiping a bunch of them and probably isn’t keeping meticulous notes on which cars they came from. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2021, 4:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/catalytic-converter-thefts-skyrocket-in-denver/174969/11 "2021-02-15T16:09:56Z")
> [@shadowfax](#): > > Some yards have started requiring cat sellers to tell them the make, model, and VIN of the vehicle it’s from or they won’t buy. Makes sense to do that to protect themselves against onerous legislation. I suspect a small load from an auto repair shop would not need to do that even though they would have the data. If they bring in stolen cats at the same time, the responsibility would then fall back on the repair shop rather than the scrap dealer. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2021, 8:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/catalytic-converter-thefts-skyrocket-in-denver/174969/12 "2021-02-15T20:20:46Z")
> [@Mustangman](#): > > My old county in Ohio made scrap yards check I.D. and photo everyone who brought scrap because copper and AC unit thefts had exploded back in 2011. > > Same seems true here in Florida, I needed an ID to drop off scrap at the pay places. No such issue when I went to the county site and paid them to drop off my scrap. Here in Washington state, the scrap yards require photo ID, For anything over $20, they are required to mail you a check for the full amount, and they can only mail it to the address that is on your photo ID ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2021, 9:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/catalytic-converter-thefts-skyrocket-in-denver/174969/13 "2021-02-15T21:25:44Z")
It’s obviously not limited to Denver… > **[More valuable than gold? Thieves target shuttle bus catalytic converters in...](https://www.nj.com/hudson/2021/02/more-valuable-than-gold-thieves-target-shuttle-bus-catalytic-converters-in-weekend-spree.html)** > > The thefts are part of a nationwide trend of the devices being stolen because of the rising prices of metals, like palladium and rhodium, found in the devices under every vehicle. 😒 ---
**Author:** ![vipergg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/50afbb/32.png) [@vipergg](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vipergg)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2021, 10:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/catalytic-converter-thefts-skyrocket-in-denver/174969/14 "2021-02-15T22:28:10Z")
Seeing this around our upstate NY city too . ---
**Author:** ![bcohen2010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@bcohen2010](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bcohen2010)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2021, 2:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/catalytic-converter-thefts-skyrocket-in-denver/174969/15 "2021-02-16T14:14:30Z")
> [@It\_s\_Me](#): > > For anything over $20, they are required to mail you a check for the full amount, and they can only mail it to the address that is on your photo ID That is unreasonably onerous to the people selling scrap materials. Most people who actually _need_ to sell scrap metal are poor enough and move often enough that the address on their ID will be several apartments ago. Here in Arizona, you are required to update your address with the MVD online, but you don’t get issued a new driver’s license/state ID just because you moved, and the address on my photo ID is not where I live anymore. Scrap dealers here are also required to send payment over a certain amount as a check through the mail, but there is no need to send it to the address on the customer’s ID, and such a requirement doesn’t add any benefit to deterring crime. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2021, 9:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/catalytic-converter-thefts-skyrocket-in-denver/174969/16 "2021-04-11T21:51:43Z")
Old discussion but I thought this was kind of interesting from St. Paul. After 600 thefts this year or 6 per day, they have taken action, bless their hearts, to curb the thefts. Long line of cars waiting to get their converter painted with orange paint in the hopes that thieves will see the paint and move on to another car without paint. Hopefully the paint is heat and rust resistant. Whoever came up with this idea should get a medal. I don’t have any orange paint but I’ve got yellow, so maybe I’ll just paint mine. > **[With catalytic converter theft on the rise, police, lawmakers take action](https://www.kstp.com/news/with-catalytic-converter-theft-on-the-rise-police-lawmakers-take-action/6070620/?cat=1)** > > “We've had 600 catalytic converters stolen in St. Paul this year that are reported,” St. Paul Police Senior Commander Kurt Hallstrom said. “We’re just hearing from so many people that they’re spending thousands of dollars in repairs, and we’re trying... ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2021, 10:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/catalytic-converter-thefts-skyrocket-in-denver/174969/17 "2021-04-11T22:14:25Z")
Used to be anything that ain’t bolted down. So you have to replace a catalytic converter painted orange, then what? ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2021, 10:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/catalytic-converter-thefts-skyrocket-in-denver/174969/18 "2021-04-11T22:22:42Z")
> [@Barkydog](#): > > So you have to replace a catalytic converter painted orange, then what? Well from what I gather if a painted one disappears, they know it was stolen so it helps with their recordkeeping on how many are stolen. They say sometime 2 or 3 are stolen before a report is made. See, you don’t know how big a problem it is until you can get everyone to call in their thefts every time. Maybe they stencil 1,2,3,4 or something on them for each time it is replaced I dunno. These are the same folks that wouldn’t investigate our stolen truck that we ended up locating ourselves and identified the thief. Poor guy just got out of jail and needed a ride. I have a lot of respect for these poor fellas that have found stealing car parts as the only way to support their family and believe their honor will not permit them to cut off an orange converter. Sarc.