COLUMBUS, Ohio — Most people can tell if someone stole their catalytic converter just by turning on their car.
Officials said hundreds of central Ohioans reported thieves took their catalytic converters over the past few months.
Dustin Keller, the owner of Excite Auto Repair, serviced several cars that fell victim of the crime.
“When it's gone, the exhaust gasses can’t go anywhere but straight out. It doesn’t even go through the mufflers, so it doesn’t get the chance to deaden or soften the noise of the engine, and that's why it sounds like a tractor or a rocket,” said Keller.
Kiara Smith works from home. When she got in the car to go grab a bite to eat, the noise that started could have woken up the neighborhood. Her first thought was the cold temperatures, but then she put two and two together.
“I just parked because I didn't know it was safe, but the moment that I heard it, I did know what it was because my parents kept warning me because people were doing this,” said Smith.
The Ohio State University Police Department said the scrapyard received over 500 catalytic converters since January, but the part itself isn’t what thieves want necessarily. Catalytic converters hold precious metals like europium and palladium.
“They don’t want it for the part,” said Keller. “They’re going to smelt it down and core it out and basically recycle it.”
Thieves target certain cars — Toyotas, Nissans and Fords just to name a few.
If a thief has the right tools, they can take the piece in less than a minute, but the repair can take weeks. It costs anywhere from $300 to $3,000.
“The repair costs more than the car is worth, so I don't know what to do,” said Smith.
Smith isn’t alone in her despair. Many central Ohioans fell victim to the crime on more than one occasion, and they feel there’s no real solution in sight. Keller said they’re working on a contraption that would protect the converters.
“It comes in waves, it seems like,” said Keller. “We may see three or four in a week, and then sometimes we won’t see any, but this year has been rough. We’ve been welding in cages, metal steel cages, to wrap the catalytic converters to try to protect them.”
The cages can cost anywhere from $500 to $1,000. Keller said the only real solution is to just be aware.
“Park closer to your home. Obviously the garage is the only sure solution if there is one, and just be aware of your surroundings,” said Keller.
There's currently a bill in the Ohio House that could criminalize selling stolen catalytic converters. Right now, one catalytic converter per person per day can be sold to a scrap metal dealer.