Catalytic Converters

There is a new and growing crime trend in the Metro area.  There is at least one well organized ring of criminals (and a growing number of individuals) that is targeting vehicles to steal catalytic converters.  A catalytic converter from the exhaust system, of most vehicles, contains approximately 7 grams of platinum. Scrap precious metals generally sell at 80% of the market trading price, which currently is $1,500.00 per once for platinum.  This translates to a quick $335.00 in platinum for a thief who steals your converter. Not bad for 40 seconds of work!  The current scheme targets vehicles in parking garages, malls and even driveways where nobody is watching. They crawl under the car with a power tool and cut the converter out. This process takes less than a minute.  A pair of thieves working together can make an easy $2500.00 a day, and with almost no risk of being caught, this is likely to become a real problem as more and more criminals discover how quick and lucrative this crime is.

If possible, keep your vehicles in your garage and park in highly visible places when you can.  Mid-90’s Honda’s, Toyota’s and all makes of SUV’s and pickup trucks are the most likely targets.  Again, the best way to avoid problems is to lock the vehicle and always remove all valuables when you park.  A seasoned car thief can gain access to almost any car using just a screwdriver in 7 seconds and once the car is in the hands of a criminal, the entire car can be “stripped” in less than 10 minutes.  If you see anything suspicious or hear power tools at unusual times in the day call 911 or Arapahoe County Dispatch at (303) 795-4711.