Rutgers Campus Reports Catalytic Converter Thefts

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — Police across New Jersey say they are seeing a surge of catalytic converter thefts, and the Rutgers campus is not immune to the crime.

Since Feb. 1, there have been two reports of catalytic converter thefts that have occurred at the Rutgers-New Brunswick campus, said a university spokeswoman.

This happened to one car parked on the Busch Campus in Piscataway and another car parked on the Cook Campus in New Brunswick.

In fact, Rutgers campus police say they have increased patrols of on-campus parking lots specifically because of the increase in catalytic converter thefts happening across the United States.

A catalytic converter is found in a car's undercarriage and it is designed to reduce the pollutants and toxic gases the engine produces. Catalytic converters are made out of precious metals, including platinum, and right now they can be re-sold at a very high mark-up on the black market.

Palladium, another precious metal used in converters, is also selling at an all-time high right now due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

It can be very expensive to replace a catalytic converter. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, catalytic converter thefts have seen a significant increase across the country since March of 2020, when the pandemic first started.

Rutgers police remind car owners to park in well-lit areas, consider installing catalytic converter anti-theft devices and adjust vehicle alarm systems to activate upon vibration.

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