How Colorado is Hoping to Stop the Exploding Thefts of Our Catalytic Converters

Hundreds of thieves are in Colorado converting catalytic converters in to cash, which leaves the car owner with a 'surprise' repair bill of over $2,000.

Not many people know what 'exactly' a catalytic converter is or does; if asked, I would say 'it's to cut emissions, it's for the environment,' and that's basically true. It's about less 'bad exhaust' from your gas/diesel engine polluting our air.

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CBS4 Denver reports that over 2,000 catalytic converters were stolen in the City of Denver in 2021. That is a lot of cars that need to have that replaced. It used to cost about $900 to do so, but new regulations have made them twice as expensive over the last couple of years, so you'd be looking at about $2,000 for a new one.

Without question, if that happened to me, I would be furious. I have enough issues with my car, things that I need to address, without some out of nowhere 'mandatory' bill for $2,000. You have to replace the converter, because without it, the noise is unbearable.

Why Are Catalytic Converters Being Stolen?

• Some re-sell the converters.
• Most are trying to get the precious metals (platinum, rhodium) to sell on the black market.

So now, there's a bill in the state legislature to do at least a couple of things to bring these thefts down.

• Put platinum and rhodium on the list of 'commodity metals' like gold and silver, so that they'll be regulated. Regulating things makes them harder to sell.
• Make it illegal to sell, re-sell, install any catalytic converter that hasn't been certified by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

The thing is, I appreciate them trying to find away to stop the thefts, but it seems to me that thieves are going to find a way to keep making a buck of the converters. Maybe I'm just a cynic. I do wish the bill luck, because just by writing this article I feel I've increased the odds of my converter being swiped.

Get more on the bill from CBS4 Denver HERE.

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