Since September 15, six mentions of thefts related to catalytic converters have appeared in the Slippery Rock University Police Blotter.
Of the six mentions, five reports came to University Police between September 22 and 23. Two of the thefts reported on September 22 occurred on September 15 in the Alumni Pavilion Open Parking and Lower Stadium B Lot. Another report on September 22 does not detail the timeframe of theft, but indicates it occurred in Lower Stadium A Lot. An additional report on September 23 detailed a theft occurring on September 21 in the Upper Stadium Lot, while the other report on the same day indicates another incident without naming the location or date the theft occurred. The last reported incident was listed on September 27 in Lower Stadium Lot B.
At least one suspect was identified via License Plate Recognition (LPR) and University Police are waiting on search warrants, according to a statement provided to The Rocket by Slippery Rock University Police Chief Kevin Sharkey.
“The suspect was identified by our security cameras in both Butler and Allegheny County’s LPRs. We have also been working closely with other agencies and departments who are experiencing similar thefts,” he said via email.
Hannah Herrmann, who uses they/them pronouns, had their Honda Element’s catalytic converter stolen sometime after Labor Day weekend, when Herrmann did not move their car for some weeks.
“I went to move it one night and turned it on and it sounded like there was no muffler,” Herrmann said.
The theft of Herrmann’s catalytic converter took place in East Lake Lot, across from the Aebersold Recreation Center.
“If anything, get a cage for your catalytic converter,” Herrmann said. “They just hack everything up and take what they want.”
Even though Herrmann’s insurance will likely cover it, they noted the cost of a new catalytic converter for their Honda Element could total $2,500 before labor. Additional damage to their Element included hacked up oxygen sensors, which will likely add to the bill.
Considering 32% of Gen Z has less than $1,000 in their bank account, according to a survey conducted by Forbes, those without insurance or sponsorship from parents, family members or guardians could be left with an ill-functioning vehicle or no transportation at all.
“Students and all drivers should always lock their vehicles and park in well-lit parking lots when possible. Even if not using the vehicle, it is important move the car often to minimize the risk and discover any issues,” Sharkey said via email regarding measures drivers can take to avoid thefts.
Herrmann’s message to the thief was for them to “have a heart,” emphasizing that they are stealing “from a bunch of broke college kids.”
Why catalytic converters?
Catalytic converters are a component of all modern vehicles’ exhaust systems and are used to reduce emissions. The makeup of catalytic converters includes valuable platinum group metals such as platinum, palladium and rhodium.
Since the Clean Air Act was passed in 1970, almost every vehicle manufactured since then has been outfitted with a catalytic converter, making a large pool available in virtually every corner of society. The taller stance of trucks and SUVs of all sizes, like Herrmann’s Element, make for easy targets, allowing thieves to remove the catalytic converter without having to jack the vehicle up.
During the pandemic, choked supply chains caused the prices of the three metals to rise significantly. Rhodium peaked well over $20,000 an ounce, now sits at $4,700, roughly equal to pre-pandemic levels of according to Trading Economics’ historical market tracker. Rhodium is almost exclusively extracted from South Africa, which put extra strain on the supply side.
Catalytic converters currently sell to recycling plants for anywhere from $100 to $1,500, according to a report by CARFAX , with hybrid vehicle catalytic converters selling for the most. This is due to the increased use of precious metals to increase the heat required to undergo chemical reaction to reduce emissions.
CARFAX also compiled the most popular models of vehicles among catalytic converter thieves in 2023. Pennsylvania is included in their Mid-Atlantic region analysis which determined thefts occurred most in the Ford Explorer, Ford F-150, Honda Accord, Honda CR-V, Chevrolet Equinox, Toyota Camry, Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, Chevrolet Cruze, Honda Pilot and Chevrolet Traverse.
Slippery Rock faced a similar string of catalytic converter thefts in 2021, where four individuals were charged with felonies after targeting three cities for vehicle’s emissions reducing parts.
“These types of thefts are generally carried out by person(s) with a working model and experience that allows them to understand the specific vehicle type and the ease of removal. This makes the theft relatively easy and quick,” Sharkey said. “Catalytic converter thefts are not exclusive to SRU.”
Nationally, catalytic converter thefts skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the peak of the thefts in 2020 to 2022, Pennsylvania placed third in states with the most catalytic converter theft claims by insurance companies, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. In 2024, State Farm released a report stating catalytic converter claims have reduced by 74% in the first half of 2024 compared to the first half of 2023.
In 2022, the Department of Justice pursued a “nationwide, coordinated takedown…of leaders and associates of a national network of thieves, dealers, and processors for their roles in conspiracies involving stolen catalytic converters sold to a metal refinery for tens of millions of dollars.”
The case involved 21 individuals across multiple states. Some defendants allegedly contributed to operations of DG Auto LLC, who purchased millions of dollars of stolen catalytic converters, eventually selling the precious metals extracted from the devices for $545 million.
