Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

State Farm says Illinois 3rd in nation for catalytic converter thefts

Posted in:

Illinois

Claims data from State Farm, the largest insurer of automobiles in the U.S., shows that between July 2021 and June 2022 catalytic converter theft has grown 109% nationally, in terms of the number of claims filed, compared to the previous 12 months. During this recent period more than 43,219 of these parts were stolen and reported by State Farm customers compared to just above 20,600 in the previous 12 months (July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021).

In the first half of 2022 State Farm has received over 23,000 catalytic converter theft claims. The data from the most recent 12-month period indicates that the ranking of the top 5 states in catalytic converter theft is currently led by California - with more than 2 out of 10 (24.5%) claims being filed in the Golden State- followed by Texas -with roughly 1 out of 10 (13.58%) of these claims- Illinois (3rd), Washington (4th) and Minnesota (5th).

* News Channel 20…

llinois Data:

- In 2019, State Farm paid $651,000 for just over 480 catalytic converter theft claims in Illinois.
- In 2020, State Farm paid over $1.1M for 740 catalytic converter theft claims in Illinois.
- In 2021, State Farm paid $3.1M for 1,985 catalytic converter theft claims in Illinois.
- In the first eight months of 2022 (January – August), State Farm alone has paid $5.3M for 2,770 catalytic converter theft claims in Illinois.

National Date:

- In 2019, State Farm paid $4.6M for 2,535 catalytic converter theft claims nationally.
- In 2020, State Farm paid $20M for 10,265 catalytic converter theft claims nationally.
- In 2021, State Farm paid $62.6M for 32,265 catalytic converter theft claims nationally.
- In the first eight months of 2022 (January – August), State Farm alone has paid $70.6M for 31,835 catalytic converter theft claims nationally.

* Fox…

Summit Processors, a scrap metal business in East Alton, Illinois, now has a large sign posted at its gates which reads, “Party over – CLOSED – for retirement.”

The scrapyard was the target of a police sting operation, which resulted in the seizure of all 287 of the catalytic converters on site. […]

Summit Processors routinely bought converters but failed to have sellers fill out paperwork and show photo ID as required by state law, authorities said. […]

The Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office has now filed for permanent forfeiture of all 287 converters, saying the scrapyard did not buy any of them legally.

* Just a bill…

State Representative Amy Elik filed legislation aimed at reducing the theft of catalytic converters following a recent letter from Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine suggesting that lawmakers amend the Recyclable Metal Purchase Registration Law to make it a felony to stockpile multiple catalytic converters. […]

The legislation filed by Representative Amy Elik (HB 5828) on October 26 provides that any recyclable metal dealer or other person who knowingly fails to record the purchase of 100 or more catalytic converters is guilty of a Class 4 felony.

Rep. Elik’s legislation is co-sponsored by lawmakers representing Madison County which include State Representatives CD Davidsmeyer and Charlie Meier. Madison County area lawmakers want to see the legislature take action on this important legislation in the upcoming veto session scheduled to begin on Tuesday, November 15.

Have you or someone you know had their catalytic converter stolen? I know a few myself.

posted by Isabel Miller
Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 10:47 am

Comments

A former neighbor had his stolen a couple years ago while parked in front of his mechanic’s shop along a busy state route. It was a junky old Ford E-Series van being used for contractor work, so the catalytic could not have been worth much.

Comment by thechampaignlife Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 10:57 am
My neighborhood FB pages typically have a post or two per week with stories of these thefts. Seems like 3:00am to 4:00am are peak incident times. Guys roll up, jack the car and cut out the CC, and off they go. Makes a lot of noise, but it only takes a few minutes.

Thankfully I have a garage to park in, but people parking on the street have no protection.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 11:01 am
Anytime Illinois shows up in national ranking higher than 5th place(the population rank), that’s a cue that something has to be addressed quickly.

Painting them pink seems to have worked a little bit, but it’s pretty trivial to get paint off a converter. Going after the volume purchasers seems to be a good next step. Similar to how pawn shop purchases are treated.

I personally don’t know anyone who has had one stolen right off their vehicle in my circle, but it’s obviously happening here too.(SW suburban chicago metro).

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 11:05 am
But don’t CC’s have a Constitutional Right to be free?

Comment by Jerry Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 11:19 am
Make possession of catalytic converters and burglary tools a felony - In Chicago, when a police officer finds someone in the possession of an electric saw and multiple stolen catalytic converters, they are only charged with theft of mislaid property and possession of burglary tools which are misdemeanors.

Comment by Chicagonk Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 11:21 am
Had one stolen when I lived in Michigan. After that, I bought a cage. Won’t stop someone who is very determined but gives me a little piece of mind.

Comment by SIUEalum Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 11:30 am
Catalytic converter theft up 300% in Chicago so far this year

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-catalytic-converter-thefts-triple-chicago-20220909-qhr2osgehzehfcbymt6slclxfe-story.html

Comment by Lucky Pierre Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 11:33 am
LP, it’s 200 percent. Up 100 percent is doubling, up 200 percent is tripling. They tripled. And, yes, that’s bad.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 11:36 am
===LP, it’s 200 percent.===

LP is using Devore math.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 11:38 am
I thought it might be Rauner math: 3,924, drop the g, divided by 1,410, drop another g and there you go 300 percent.

Comment by P. Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 11:53 am
== My neighborhood FB pages typically have a post or two per week with stories of these thefts. Seems like 3:00am to 4:00am are peak incident times. Guys roll up, jack the car and cut out the CC, and off they go. Makes a lot of noise, but it only takes a few minutes. ==

Friend in Champaign had his taken off his Prius out of his driveway at 8am on a Friday morning early this year. Security camera caught the whole thing from start to finish, including their car and a couple of unmasked faces. It took them less than four minutes to arrive, jack the car up, cut it off, collect their things and leave. There are NASCAR pit crews that could use their skills.

Local PD was uninterested in the footage until he made a huge stink online, then CPD decided they wanted to see it after all, like a week later.

Comment by Leap Day William Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 12:00 pm
Yes I know you told me a million times stop exaggerating

Comment by Lucky Pierre Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 12:00 pm
>>>>It was a junky old Ford E-Series van being used for contractor work, so the catalytic could not have been worth much.

by what logic is it not worth much?

Comment by We've never had one before Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 12:13 pm
We had one of our catalytic converters stolen. It’s annoying.

===so the catalytic could not have been worth much

Older converters are generally worth more. The newer ones have reduced some of the rare metals.

Comment by ArchPundit Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 12:25 pm
I know two people who had their catalytic converters stolen: one had his car parked on the NW side of Chicago and the other had her car parked on a quiet street in a northern suburb of Chicago.

Comment by Bourbon Street Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 12:33 pm
Yes, and the damage done to our car was far more than just replacing the catalytic converter. The final bill was more than $4000. The catalytic converter was stolen from my daughter’s school parking lot, during the day, one block from the Police Academy

Comment by Andrea Durbin Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 1:02 pm
Son drives his van to party around Wrigley. Leaves 3 hours later. Cat gone. Chi cops give a nice shrug since no witness. Tad loud going home. Got stopped twice, but had note from Chi cops.

Comment by Zatoichi Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 1:04 pm
There have been 3 stolen from my neighbors on my block in the past 3 months in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago. Those are just the neighbors who lost them while street parked which I know about, I don’t check the Facebook neighborhood forums, I’m sure there were more in the neighborhood.

Not sure how they pick which cars to hit, they were all very different models and manufacturers.

Comment by ChicaogBars Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 1:43 pm
==a junky old Ford E-Series van being used for contractor work, so the catalytic could not have been worth much==

They are not being stolen to be resold as reused car parts, they are being stolen for their metal content. Explained another way, an ugly looking 1 oz gold bar that’s 30 years old is not any less valuable than a shiny 1 oz gold bar fresh from the mint.

Comment by Dave C Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 1:56 pm
Yes- my daughter had her CC stolen from her Honda CRV, but in Kansas City

Comment by Central Ill Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 2:14 pm
Adding- cost about $700 to replace. Much more if they cut beyond the O2 sensors. Some vehicles it’s north of $2000

Comment by Central Ill Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 2:17 pm
Word of warning to SUV owners–It’s easier for the bad guys to quickly get under vehicles that are higher up off the ground.

Comment by SAP Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 2:40 pm
Yes, from a Hyundai Santa Fe in Bolingbrook this summer. Police said this model vehicle is one of the most stolen and the thieves can do it in less than a minute.

Comment by smrides Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 4:27 pm
I know of several people who have had them stolen. That’s why I spent $500 for a shield.

Comment by Pius Thursday, Oct 27, 22 @ 5:24 pm
CC stolen from my Prius.
CC’s stolen from work vehicles, twice.

Comment by LakeCo Friday, Oct 28, 22 @ 11:16 am