Theft of catalytic converters in the US has increased significantly in 2021and a recent report suggests that thieves are specifically looking for second-generation fitted parts Toyota Prius. Claims related to a Prius Construction from 2004 to 2009 is skyrocketing.
It is not irony to remove catalytic conversion from the so-called “green car that leads to thieves getting under an old Prius – though mixture the system is indirectly to blame. The Highway Loss Data Institute explains that the catalytic converter installed on this hatchback version is made of more precious metals than the one found on, such as Land Cruiser because it’s not as hot as the engine isn’t running all the time. The prices of metals like platinum, rhodium and palladium are increasing, so the number of thefts is also trending up.
For context, the frequency of theft complaints for Prius 2004-2009 subscriptions is 58.1 per 1,000 insured vehicle in 2020, a sharp increase from 1.4 in 2016. It is noteworthy that the frequency of theft complaints against other models during that period did not increase markedly from 2016 to 2020. There is a reason. good reason for that: The same report says the go rate for a GD3 + EA6-style Catalytic Converter from the second-generation Prius hovers around $1,022. Cut one from the third-generation model and it’ll be worth about $548. The thieves couldn’t find a Prius but were surrounded by Ford F-150 pickups aren’t going to make a lot of money: the catalytic converter in the 2007 model is worth about $143.
The Highway Loss Data Institute warns that their database does not include information about the specific component that was stolen, meaning it cannot distinguish between a stolen catalytic converter and OZ Racing alloy stolen on papers. However, it added that the dollar value assigned to each claim sheds some light on what was stolen. Replacing a catalytic converter (which is part of an exhaust system) typically costs between $2,500 and $3,000, and the number of claims in that range has grown alarmingly in recent years.
Keeping your catalytic converter secure and firmly attached to your car is easier said than done; you cannot hide, lock or LoJack it. Worse still, it’s not a part stamped with the car’s vehicle identification number (VIN), so the odds of finding it once it’s gone are very low.
