Thefts of catalytic converters skyrocket across Kansas City area, police warn
The theft of a catalytic converter may take only minutes but can end up costing victims thousands of dollars and possibly weeks with their cars in a shop, according to police.
Unfortunately, that crime is skyrocketing across the Kansas City metropolitan area, said Sgt. Dawn Jones with the Kansas City Police Department’s Central Patrol Division Property Crimes Unit.
“We have seen a dramatic increase from 2019 to 2020 and we are on track to see an even bigger increase in 2021,” Jones said at a news conference Friday morning outside police headquarters in downtown Kansas City.
So far this year, Kansas City police have received 266 reports of catalytic converters stolen from vehicles. That compares to 806 in 2020 and 158 in 2019. All types of vehicles are being victimized, including a one stolen from a Kansas City police van.
The problem doesn’t exist solely in Kansas City either. Standing behind Jones at the press conference were state and local law enforcement officers from Missouri and Kansas who she said are meeting monthly and emailing each other almost daily to combat the crime by collaborating their intelligence.
Victims of the thefts are reporting that the cost to replace and repair the damage is costing them anywhere between $1,500 to $2,000, police said.
“That doesn’t include the fact that they have now been without their vehicle for one to three weeks waiting on a catalytic converter to come in so it can get fixed, having to tow their vehicle to a repair shop,” Jones said. “Those kind of things are a big inconvenience for our citizens and we realize that and we want to stop it.”
The price of metals used in the vehicle part is what is driving the crime and police are hoping that when prices go down, the crime will as well. In the meantime, they wanted to alert the community about the crime and what they can do to minimize their risk of becoming victims.
Vehicle owners can use devices available online and at auto parts stores that make cutting off the catalytic converters harder, Jones said. Alarms can also alert owners when someone gets under their vehicles.
She also encouraged people to write on their catalytic converters with a UV pen that can write on metal, which is only visible under a black light. That way if their part is stolen, they let authorities know and if it’s recovered police can match the part to the report.
People can also lessen their chances of becoming victims by parking their vehicles in a garage or other secure area or in a well-lit area, the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators recommends on its website. The organization also encouraged the use of surveillance cameras.
“One of the biggest things we can ask for is to report these thefts immediately,” Jones said. “We are recovering catalytic converters throughout the community at a fairly high rate and we’re unable to match them up to reports because the reports are delayed sometimes up to five to 10 days.”
With the reports, police are able to match them to recovered catalytic converters and work on possible charges, she said.
“The Missouri state statute for buying and selling catalytic converters is extremely clear: You have to have legal documentation and proof of where that catalytic converter came from and how it was obtained,” she said.
It’s a felony in Missouri to disable a vehicle in any way that inconveniences the owner, she said.
Community Interaction Officer Aaron Whitehead with Kansas City Police Department’s South Patrol said community and neighborhood groups can request that officers meet with them to discuss different tools that can be used and crime prevention tips. They are also able to gather video and get it into the proper hands at the department. For contact information, go to www.kcpd.org.
“We are happy to connect with you in any way we can to try and to help with solving this situation” before it gets even worse, he said.
