Catalytic Converter Theft: Operation Etch & Catch

Catalytic Converter Theft in Crestwood On May 11, 2022, The Crestwood, Missouri Police Department rolled out Operation Etch & Catch, a program designed to help prevent Catalytic Converter theft, a problem that is rampant in the St. Louis Area. The program is simple. Repair shops, like Sant Automotive, paint Converters to warn potential thieves that resale of these Converters may be difficult, and the shops etch the license plate number of the vehicle onto the Converter. Officer Dion Olson of the Crestwood Police Department stated that a problem that law enforcement has with Catalytic Converter theft is that, without identifying information to tie a converter to a specific vehicle, it is difficult to prosecute the crime of converter theft. The point of painting Converters is to make thieves think twice about which Converters they plan to steal. More than 150,000 Converters were stolen in 2022, and the prices that thieves get from each Catalytic Converter can range from $150 to $1,500. The cost to motorists, however, can run into the thousands of dollars. When thieves steal a Converter, they do so in the quickest manner possible: they often damage exhaust pipes before and after the Converter, and they may also damage or steal other expensive components, like Oxygen Sensors. The top five vehicles for catalytic converter theft in the St. Louis Area are: • Ford F-150 • Honda Accord • Toyota Prius • Honda CRV • Ford Explorer In addition to etching converters and painting them to deter theft, Sant Automotive installs anti-theft devices, like CatClamps, which further deter Converter Theft. For more information, call Sant Automotive at 314-849-2900. Thanks