Kansas City saw catalytic converter thefts drop significantly this year — here's why

After years of huge increases in thefts, experts say a drop in price for the precious metals, plus legislation to regulate metal dealers are deterring people from stealing the anti-pollution devices.
Holiday cheer rarely, if ever, comes in the form of catalytic converter news. But 2023 is different.

Catalytic converter thefts are down. In fact, thefts dropped more than 70% in Kansas City, Missouri, from last year. Kansas City police attribute the drop to a combination of things.

"More awareness from car owners, marking the convertors so they can't be sold as easily and enforcing laws/codes at the businesses that purchase convertors from the public,” Capt. Timon Holcomb, KCPD Property Crimes Commander, said in a statement.

Last year, 2,176 catalytic converters were stolen in Kansas City. By the end of November this year, that number was only 570.

Thefts are down across the city, but have fallen most in the Central Patrol Division that includes downtown, Westport and the Plaza. In 2022, 820 catalytic converters were stolen in that division, according to KCPD data. As of Nov. 29, 2023, that was down to 142 converters. At the current rate of thefts, Central Patrol would end 2023 with about 150 thefts, an 82% drop.