Fight catalytic converter theft with a free label at AAA event
With myriad catalytic converters snatched every year in Illinois, AAA is offering drivers a way to fight back.
The organization will host a crime-prevention event Saturday in Lake County, where experts will install nonremovable labels on converters for free to discourage thieves.
About 14,000 catalytic converters were stolen across the U.S. in 2024, the National Insurance Crime Bureau reports.
Metal recycling dealers can pay between $50 and $250 for the components from gas-powered vehicles and up to $800 for those from hybrids.
The event Saturday runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at AAA’s Car Care Plus facility, 1680 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Vernon Hills.
“Converters typically don’t have a VIN stamped on them,” AAA spokesperson Molly Hart said Monday. “These registered labels help deter theft and make stolen parts easier to recover.”
The labels contain a unique ID number, which will be uploaded to a secure database that police and recyclers can access.
Replacing a catalytic converter can cost drivers between $1,000 and $3,500 for parts and labor.
“While it is still an ongoing problem, catalytic converter thefts have come down since hitting a peak several years ago,” Hart said. NICB data shows a 68% decrease from 2023 to 2024.
Illinois was listed as one of the top five states for converter purloining from 2020 through 2022, with 2,021 reported occurrences. However, a 2025 state law now requires metal recycling dealers to keep records of vehicle identification numbers and converters.
Sellers must also provide copies of vehicle titles or registrations.
The U.S. began requiring catalytic converters, which reduce exhaust pollution, for vehicles in 1975. The devices use precious metals such as platinum, palladium and rhodium, which make them a valuable target for criminals.
You’ll likely know if your catalytic converter was pinched quickly, as vehicles without the component are louder, emit darker and worse-smelling exhaust, and accelerate poorly.
To prevent theft, AAA advises drivers to park in well-lit areas and install a shield or cage over the converter.
mpyke@dailyherald.com