Catalytic Converter RV Theft

 

Typical Van Catalytic Converter Assembly

It has been reported that thieves are now targeting RV storage facilities as a source of catalytic converters.  A number of nearby RV storage facilities were targets.  At  one town in Michigan theft of many catalytic converters has occurred in recent months. 

At one storage facility it was discovered that five vehicles were targeted.

I'm including info on catalytic converter and vehicle theft in this post.

Vehicle theft is also a problem

According to the recent FBI statistics, in 2020 810,400 vehicles were stolen. That's the highest annual number of vehicles stolen since 2008. Separate statistics on RVs are difficult to obtain, because they are lumped-in with vehicle thefts.  I include a link in the notes. 

Why steal a catalytic converter?

Here's one perspective: "The main reason that catalytic converters are stolen is because they’re valuable to scrap metal dealers. They contain precious metals, including rhodium, platinum, and palladium. These metals can be sold to scrap yards for $150 to $200 per piece, depending on the size of the converter and the current rate for the metals contained."

Can we prevent the theft of catalytic converters?

Probably not.  For one thing, they are a part of the RV or automobiles exhaust system, and it only takes seconds to put a scissors jack under the vehicle, lift it, and then cut out the converter.

I spoke with the Chief of Police of a nearby community about this problem.  He stated that thieves are now transporting stolen converters out of state, making recovery or capture of the thieves more difficult. There are thieves and then there are unscrupulous scrap dealers.  They are both a part of the problem. 

Nevertheless, here are some things that might make it less likely that your RV will be targeted:

• Install an alarm system that goes off when the vehicle is vibrated. However, it has been reported  that loud, audible alarms may be of little value.  A more sophisticated alarm system is required.
• Park the vehicle indoors and keep all doors closed and locked.
• Park in well-lit areas and close to building entrances, when possible.
• Weld the catalytic converter to the vehicle frame. This may make it more difficult to steal.
• Engrave your vehicle identification number (VIN) on the catalytic converter.  However, the police chief I spoke too did not offer any confidence that this is a deterrent, or may lead to an arrest.

RV Storage Facilities

One might think that a RV storage facility with night lights and cameras would be a deterrent, but that is not true.  It is my understanding that the RV storage facilities that were targeted were lit and there were cameras present. 

 

Alarm Systems

An alarm system might be helpful, but because noise by a loud alarm does not seem to be a deterrent to vehicle theft, the lowest cost alarms might be useless.

Some alarm systems are two-way alarms.  In such a system the alarm sends information to a remote location. This could inform the vehicle owner that someone is tampering with your vehicle or if the engine has been started. However, such remotes have limited range.

Some vehicle alarms can be linked to a smartphone. This will provide two-way communication over a great distance. However, if an owners gets an alert from a vehicle alarm system, the owner might not be able to respond, but could notify law enforcement that their is an attempt underway to steal the vehicle.

However, any effective alarm system should:

1. Disable vehicle start
2. Be triggered by vehicle  vibration. 

Other Theft Deterrent Systems

There are other systems that can deter thieves. I'm a believer that a really motivated, talented thief will steal an RV and overcome any deterrent system.  However, I am also of the opinion that a thief will go for the easiest mark.

Anti-Theft Devices reduce the possibility a vehicle will be stolen, or will assist in the recovery.  Examples include:

• Vehicle alarms.
• Vehicle start disablers or immobilizers.
• Motion detectors.
• Steering wheel locks.
• Recovery systems.

Recovery Systems

A recovery system does not prevent theft.  A vehicle recovery system is a tracking system designed to help vehicle owners get their RV, car or truck back after it has been stolen.

Active recovery systems include GPS-enabled vehicle recovery systems. These can help recover a vehicle during an active theft situation. They include a transmitter and work by remotely alerting the vehicle condition.  Some include ignition or start blocking. Examples include:

• GM's Onstar
• LoJack

Vehicle trackers use GPS but don't block operation.  Because some use the OBD port of the vehicle, simply unplugging the dongle may disable it.

Passive Recovery systems include etching the VIN on windows.

Links and Notes:

Insurance Information Institute:  https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-auto-theft

(c) N. Retzke 2021