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The devices, coveted for the precious metals like platinum and palladium they contain, are being cut from cars and trucks and carried off at an alarming rate according to the Edmonton Police Service, the Alberta Motor Association and Kal Tire. Such thefts increased 80 per cent between 2020 and 2022.
“It’s a growing problem that has very real consequences for those affected,” the AMA wrote in a news release. “Those consequences can include time lost to repairs, money needed to pay for repairs, and the hit that a person can feel to their sense of personal security.”
An AMA survey showed that nine in 10 Albertans are aware of the increase in converter thefts, but just three in 10 believe it will happen to them. So, the EPS and the AMA are partnering with the tire retailer to offer at-cost VIN number engravings: $40 for the first converter, and $20 for each additional converter on the vehicle.
Each vehicle will also receive a pair of warning decals to let potential thieves know that the converter is traceable.
This follows a similar “successful program” the Calgary Police Service ran earlier this year.
“Engraving the VIN on your vehicle’s catalytic converter, and having the warning decal visible, will help deter thieves and reduce the chance of it being stolen,” EPS crime suppression and investigation division Supt. Derek McIntyre said in the release. “We want to make it impossible for thieves to make money from this crime of opportunity, and we are very grateful for the support of the AMA and Kal Tire in helping us address this multimillion-dollar problem.”
