PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A new report says catalytic converter thefts are up this year, and Oregon made the list of top states for thefts when looking at last year’s numbers and current data.
According to BeenVerified, catalytic converter thieves have been on a tear since 2020, as police departments nationwide and car insurance companies reported a record surge of criminals stealing the part, which is filled with precious metals that help clean car exhaust.
Thefts through 2021 more than quadrupled all catalytic converter thefts in 2020, the analysis said, and the trend shows no signs of slowing down this year.
The background check company estimates that catalytic converter thefts from January through April are up more than 33% compared to the same time period in 2021. Several new hotspots for theft were identified this year, including Hawaii, Indiana and Georgia.
What about Oregon?
The Beaver State was ranked number eight in the top 10 states for catalytic converter thefts per 100k automobiles.
Oregon had 43 thefts per 100k automobiles from January 2021 to April 2021 with 35 per 100k automobiles from January 2022 through April 2022.
In 2020, Oregon had 427 thefts compared to 2,026 in 2021 and 489 in 2022 from January to April.