SAN DIEGO — In 2022, San Diego police responded to 850 reports of stolen catalytic converters citywide, up nearly 600 from just two years prior.
During the first six months of this year, from January through June 22, police responded to 321 reports of stolen catalytic converters.
San Diego's more than threefold increase during those two years reflects a similar spike nationally, according to numbers from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). On a national level, insurance companies received 64,701 reports of stolen catalytic converters, up from 16,660 reported in 2020.
The insurance bureau found that the price of platinum, rhodium, and palladium that are found inside catalytic converters skyrocketed in recent years, with metal recycling companies paying up to $800 for a catalytic converter taken from a hybrid vehicle.
With the surge in thefts, CBS 8 looked at which neighborhoods reported the most thefts since the beginning of 2022.
Numbers from the city of San Diego show that the suburbs have been hardest hit by catalytic converter thieves.
According to San Diego Police, Mira Mesa had the most stolen since the beginning of 2022 with a total of 90 reports of stolen emission control devices.
University City was next with 60, followed by Rancho Penasquitos, Carmel Valley, Rancho Bernard, and Kearny Mesa.
Over the course of the past year, law enforcement agencies statewide have tried to curb the number of thefts by encouraging car owners to do the following measures:
- Engrave your vehicle identification number or license plate on your converter
- Park somewhere with plenty of light or inside a garage, if possible
- Set up a home surveillance camera
Some auto body shops can also weld a cage around your catalytic converter to prevent thieves from accessing the devices.
State lawmakers have passed several bills aimed at reducing the number of converters stolen.
