A study by BeenVerified found that catalytic converter thefts have risen more than 10,000% in the Lone Star State since 2019.
The background check company claimed the United States hit an all-time record for catalytic converter thefts in 2022, and in a ranking of all 50 states, Texas came in second for most incidents. Only New York had more that year.
Statewide, there were only 102 thefts in 2019. The following year, the number jumped to 839. In 2021, 7,944 thefts were logged. That figure spiked again in 2022, with authorities documenting 11,201 incidents. Since 2019, the increase has been clocked at roughly 10,881.4%.
The problem has become so prevalent in Texas that legislation is currently being considered at the State Capitol that would enhance penalties for the crime, as previously reported in The Dallas Express.
Still, the acceleration in this type of crime appears to have slowed down in Texas, at least by BeenVerified’s numbers. The biggest spike occurred between 2020 and 2021, with an 846.8% increase. The following year, catalytic converter thefts only jumped by about 41%.
However, Texas was ranked fourteenth in 2021, suggesting that local law enforcement agencies in many other states were able to get a better handle on the increase in catalytic converter theft. BeenVerified’s 2022 rankings of the top 10 states per every 100,000 registered vehicles are:
- New York – 141
- Texas – 136
- Connecticut – 122
- Colorado – 117
- Washington – 112
- New Jersey – 108
- California – 103
- Oregon – 97
- Minnesota – 93
- Illinois – 89
The FBI considers catalytic converter thefts to be part of an organized crime effort.
“Catalytic converter rings operate like South American organized crime groups that target individuals and businesses who sell jewelry or only operate in cash. They are a theft group, and catalytic converters are their commodity,” Melinda Urbina, the spokesperson for the FBI’s Dallas field office, told The Dallas Express.
The Dallas Express reached out to the Dallas Police Department (DPD) and asked what the running total has been in Dallas this year.
“There has been, YTD 2023, 381 catalytic converter thefts,” DPD Public Information Officer Juan Fernandez informed The Dallas Express.
As of last Friday, there had been 1,361 thefts of motor vehicle parts or accessories this year, according to the City of Dallas Open Data crime analytics dashboard. The plurality thus far has been committed in City Council Member Paul Ridley’s District 14, with 181 incidents reported.