50 Catalytic Converters Stolen In Lakewood Industrial Park

LAKEWOOD, NJ — Lakewood police are continuing to investigate the theft of about 50 catalytic converters from commercial trucks in the Lakewood Industrial Park.

Capt. Gregory Staffordsmith said the thefts are actively under investigation but there were no updates Tuesday.

The thefts happened early on the Fourth of July off Airport Road in the industrial park, he said. Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective. Robert Lopez at 732-363-0200.

Catalytic converters are part of the exhaust system of vehicles and are targeted for theft because they use precious metals — platinum, palladium, or rhodium — to convert harmful gases in the emissions to steam and carbon dioxide, according to Carfax.com.

The three precious metals have risen significantly in price, with rhodium worth more than $12,800 per ounce as of Tuesday, according to Kitco.com, which tracks the prices of various precious metals. Palladium was at just shy of $2,000 per ounce, and platinum was nearly $850 per ounce.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau said it has seen a rise from 1,298 catalytic converter theft insurance claims in 2018 to 52,280 reported thefts in 2021, a spokesperson for the organization said.

"To be clear, the data we have is not a reporting of all catalytic converter thefts nationally, but rather provides a look at the trends of thefts," the spokesperson said.

Recyclers usually pay $50 to $250 per catalytic converter, the organization said.

Thieves typically target larger, high-clearance vehicles due to the ease of getting underneath them and removing the catalytic converter in a matter of seconds. In addition, hybrid vehicles like the Prius offer cleaner and more valuable catalytic converters. The thefts leave cars with very noisy exhaust and spewing noxious fumes.

New Jersey has two bills that would clamp down on resales — and help reduce thefts.

Assembly bill A3970, and its Senate companion S2675, would require someone selling a catalytic converter to provide proof of ownership, and would increase the penalties for theft of the devices. It was introduced in May but has not moved out of committees.

Bill S249/A2210 would amend the state's scrap metal recycling law to include catalytic converters and require proof of ownership of the converter at the time of sale to a scrap metal dealer.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau offers these suggestions to prevent a thief from stealing the catalytic converter from your vehicle:

• Install a catalytic converter anti-theft device. These are available from various manufacturers and can provide a level of security from theft.
• Park fleet trucks in an enclosed area that is secured, well-lighted, locked and alarmed.
• Park personal vehicles in a garage if possible. If not possible and the vehicle must be parked in a driveway, consider installing motion sensor security lights. While lights may not provide complete security, it may make some thieves think twice, and they may opt to leave the area, and your car, untouched. Whether in the garage or outside in the driveway, set the alarm on your vehicle if equipped.
• Attend a local catalytic converter etching event. If none are currently scheduled in your area, contact a muffler shop that can etch your vehicle’s VIN on the converter, and spray it with a highly visible high-heat paint. Doing so enables the NICB and law enforcement to track the converters which could lead to the arrest of catalytic converter thieves.