This Fort Worth area city is offering residents kits to prevent catalytic converter thefts
%20Cropped.jpg "Bedford Officer Deidre Spears displays a catalytic converter theft prevention kit.")
When the Bedford police department posted on its Facebook page that residents could check out catalytic converter theft prevention kits, the response was immediate.
In one day, there was a three-month waiting list with over 50 requests for the kits.
When asked if police were surprised by the rapid response, chief Jeff Williams said he wasn’t because people respond to crime prevention initiatives.
Thefts of the devices that help clean the exhaust are costly to drivers who must take time from work to get their vehicles to repair shops. The repairs can top more than $1,000.
The theft prevention kits have a tool to etch the VIN number into the converter and spray paint resistant to high temperatures.
During the pandemic, catalytic converter thefts skyrocketed because the devices contain valuable metals, including rhodium, palladium and platinum that can cost up to $18,000 per ounce, Williams said.
Many cities in Tarrant County and throughout the U.S. have seen big increases in thefts of catalytic converters.
In 2020, there were 40 reports of stolen catalytic converters in Bedford. Last year, there were 137 and as of May 20, 44 had been reported stolen.
In Colleyville, there were 28 converter thefts reported in 2021, but numbers are down this year with only five thefts.
Renee Wheels, who lives in south Fort Worth, said she thinks the kits are a good idea because they might deter thieves.
In September, Wheels said someone stole the catalytic converter from her 2002 Honda when her son drove it to work.
“I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “My son called and said, ‘Mom, there’s something wrong with my car. It’s really loud.’”
Wheels said she knew immediately that it was the catalytic converter. But the single mom of two had to take time from work to get her car to a mechanic.
Initially, the wrong part was installed, and Wheels said she had to drive to Hurst to find the correct converter.
She said she saved a few dollars because she bought the converter and took it to the mechanic, but she had to take time from her work.
“It’s awful, it’s just evil,” she said.
Meanwhile, Williams acknowledged that while thieves can scratch off the VIN etched into the converter, the kits are still a deterrent.
“The goal is to make it more difficult and deter the criminals from victimizing Bedford residents,” Williams said. “Don’t be an easy target.”
This story was originally published May 26, 2022 at 6:00 AM.