Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

US Electric Vehicle Tax Breaks Will Expire on Sept. 30

4 hours ago

‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘Kill Bill’ Actor Michael Madsen Dies at 67

5 hours ago

Eyeing Arctic Dominance, Trump Bill Earmarks $8.6 Billion for US Coast Guard Icebreakers

5 hours ago

Trump’s Sweeping Tax-Cut and Spending Bill Wins Congressional Approval

6 hours ago

Americans Celebrate Their Independence With Record-Breaking Travel Numbers

9 hours ago

US Supreme Court to Decide Legality of Transgender School Sports Bans

10 hours ago

Nvidia Set to Become the World’s Most Valuable Company in History

10 hours ago

Poll: 41% in US ‘Extremely Proud’ to Be American, Near Historic Low

10 hours ago
Fresno Police See Catalytic Converter Theft Resurgence. One Car Type is a Prime Target.
TLBBHMAP3-U010ALB5ANM-348f959abae2-512-300x300-1
By Jim Jakobs, Digital Producer
Published 4 years ago on
February 18, 2021

Share

“Please be aware catalytic converters are being stolen during the night in the area of Bullard & Marks,” reads a post on Nextdoor by northwest Fresno resident Taylor Wilson. Other neighbors piled on with comments about recent theft experiences of their own.

Fresno police say it’s true.

Like many other places throughout the country, Fresno is not immune from this recent spike.

“In the last couple of months we’ve seen a resurgence,” says officer Felipe Uribe. “I can tell you that in the last at least six months, we’ve seen the numbers increase in theft of catalytic converters not only in the city of Fresno, but throughout (Fresno) county.”

COVID Playing into Thefts

Uribe says the thefts aren’t limited to any particular area of the city. He believes the COVID-19 pandemic is playing into the hands of catalytic converter thieves.

“I think the fact that many people are working from home, and cars are not being moved for hours or days at a time, not only are they easy and accessible but people are now finding out maybe days after this happened.”– Officer Felipe Uribe

I think the fact that many people are working from home, and cars are not being moved for hours or days at a time, not only are they easy and accessible but people are now finding out maybe days after this happened,” says Uribe.

The value of the precious metals inside catalytic converters is also skyrocketing. The required device is designed to convert pollutants in a vehicle’s exhaust into harmless compounds by the action of a metal catalyst, namely platinum or palladium.

The New York Times reports that palladium and rhodium are highly valuable. Palladium was worth about $500/ounce five years ago, but hit $2,875/ounce in 2020. Rhodium was $640/ounce five years ago, but skyrocketed to $21,900/ounce recently. The Times points out that $21,900/ounce is about 12 times the price of gold.

The Times also says stricter car emissions rules around the world, particularly in China, have sent demand for the precious metals in catalytic converters surging.

Uribe says police are making arrests in some of these cases, but they are only considered property crimes.

“They get booked into a local jail and within an hour or a day they’re they are back on the street doing the same thing they were doing before,” says Uribe.

Toyota Prius is a Frequent Target

Fresno residents are sounding the alarm themselves on social media sites like Nextdoor where they are asking one another to help keep an eye on their cars.

“There have been other break-in’s here in the neighborhood,” a man named “Eddie” tells GV Wire℠ by direct message. He recently had a catalytic converter stolen from the Toyota Prius he parked in his northwest Fresno driveway.

Eddie’s Prius story is not unique.

Resident Rena Mullen says, “My friend had hers stolen from her Toyota Prius located near Bullard and First Streets.”

Autoblog reports the Toyota Prius is especially attractive to thieves, as they know their catalytic converters don’t need to work as hard to tamp down emissions. That means there’s a potential for more of the precious metals to still be intact within the converter should the car have a lot of miles on it.

Uribe says Fresno is seeing the same trend other agencies nationwide are seeing with the Toyota Prius.

“Specifically Prius’ have been the target vehicle,” says Uribe. He says hybrid vehicles in general have an increased amount of precious metals in them.

Fresno police are looking for suspects in these photos recently posted to Nextdoor by Rocio Rivera. (Nextdoor)

Repair Costs

Uribe says the costs of repair in these types of incidents can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars depending on the make or model of the vehicle.

He advises people to check their insurance policies for coverage of these types of thefts. Uribe says different levels of insurance have different and sometimes higher deductibles.

“It’s unfortunate that most of the victims that we’re seeing are people who don’t have extra money to just throw back in their vehicles and they’re having to not do immediate repairs to the vehicles because they don’t have the money,” explains Uribe.

Protecting Yourself

Trying to defend against catalytic converter thieves isn’t easy. They can slide underneath a car, saw it out quickly, then slip away.

“If they can secure their vehicles in a locked and gated garage, it’s probably the best path of defense to take,” says Uribe. “But again, I know that not everybody has access to these methods of defense.

[activecampaign form=25]

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Fresno Crash Involving Unlicensed Teen Driver Sends Woman to Hospital

DON'T MISS

Madre Fire Burns More Than 52,000 Acres in San Luis Obispo County

DON'T MISS

RIP John Harris: Fresno County Rancher, Racehorse Breeder Was a Visionary Leader Who Leaves a ‘Profound Legacy’

DON'T MISS

Valadao, Costa Spar on What Passage of Trump’s Bill Means for Medicaid Recipients

DON'T MISS

US Military Says 200 Marines Being Sent to Support ICE in Florida

DON'T MISS

Boeing Secures $2.8 Billion US Satellite Contract

DON'T MISS

Kaweah Health Names Its New Chief Nurse. She’s From Texas

DON'T MISS

Clovis Police Say At-Risk Missing Woman Found Dead in Mariposa County

DON'T MISS

Over 100 Former Senior Officials Warn Against Planned Staff Cuts at US State Department

DON'T MISS

US Electric Vehicle Tax Breaks Will Expire on Sept. 30

UP NEXT

RIP John Harris: Fresno County Rancher, Racehorse Breeder Was a Visionary Leader Who Leaves a ‘Profound Legacy’

UP NEXT

Valadao, Costa Spar on What Passage of Trump’s Bill Means for Medicaid Recipients

UP NEXT

Kaweah Health Names Its New Chief Nurse. She’s From Texas

UP NEXT

Clovis Police Say At-Risk Missing Woman Found Dead in Mariposa County

UP NEXT

Fresno Police Recover Some of the $40,000 in Fireworks Stolen From Bullard High Team

UP NEXT

Riverdale High School Coach Arrested for Allegedly Arranging to Meet Minor

UP NEXT

Could Cuddly Colby Be the Darling Gem for You?

UP NEXT

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Sandra Neredia Jaquez

UP NEXT

Trump Impounds Billions in Education Funding. For Fresno Unified, It’s $7.1 Million

UP NEXT

Americans Celebrate Their Independence With Record-Breaking Travel Numbers

Valadao, Costa Spar on What Passage of Trump’s Bill Means for Medicaid Recipients

2 hours ago

US Military Says 200 Marines Being Sent to Support ICE in Florida

3 hours ago

Boeing Secures $2.8 Billion US Satellite Contract

3 hours ago

Kaweah Health Names Its New Chief Nurse. She’s From Texas

3 hours ago

Clovis Police Say At-Risk Missing Woman Found Dead in Mariposa County

3 hours ago

Over 100 Former Senior Officials Warn Against Planned Staff Cuts at US State Department

4 hours ago

US Electric Vehicle Tax Breaks Will Expire on Sept. 30

4 hours ago

‘Reservoir Dogs’ and ‘Kill Bill’ Actor Michael Madsen Dies at 67

5 hours ago

Fresno Police Recover Some of the $40,000 in Fireworks Stolen From Bullard High Team

5 hours ago

Eyeing Arctic Dominance, Trump Bill Earmarks $8.6 Billion for US Coast Guard Icebreakers

5 hours ago

Fresno Crash Involving Unlicensed Teen Driver Sends Woman to Hospital

A two-vehicle collision sent a woman driving one of the vehicles to the hospital with a head injury Thursday afternoon in Fresno. Fresno pol...

36 minutes ago

A crash causes a traffic jam in northwest Fresno on Thursday, July 3, 2025. (GV Wire/Paul Marshall)
36 minutes ago

Fresno Crash Involving Unlicensed Teen Driver Sends Woman to Hospital

The Madre Fire near New Cuyama has burned 52,593 acres with 5% containment, prompting evacuation orders in several San Luis Obispo County zones as of Thursday, July 3, 2025, afternoon. (CalFire)
1 hour ago

Madre Fire Burns More Than 52,000 Acres in San Luis Obispo County

2 hours ago

RIP John Harris: Fresno County Rancher, Racehorse Breeder Was a Visionary Leader Who Leaves a ‘Profound Legacy’

2 hours ago

Valadao, Costa Spar on What Passage of Trump’s Bill Means for Medicaid Recipients

An ICE agent talks with migrants about their scheduled appointments with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Father’s Day, to learn about their immigration status, in Chicago, Illinois., U.S., June 15, 2025. (Reuters File)
3 hours ago

US Military Says 200 Marines Being Sent to Support ICE in Florida

Boeing logo and miniature satellite model are seen in this illustration taken, March 10, 2025. (Reuters File)
3 hours ago

Boeing Secures $2.8 Billion US Satellite Contract

3 hours ago

Kaweah Health Names Its New Chief Nurse. She’s From Texas

Clovis Police are searching for Pathmani Goonawardena, 82, who went missing nearly three weeks ago and was last seen driving a white Volvo near Copper and Auberry, possibly en route to Coarsegold. (CHP)
3 hours ago

Clovis Police Say At-Risk Missing Woman Found Dead in Mariposa County

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend