ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Illinois ranks third in the nation for catalytic converter theft, according to State Farm claims 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.
Nationally, the data is even more startling.
- 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.
Officials said a catalytic converter is an emissions control device that is in the exhaust system underneath a vehicle. The device makes it so that carbon monoxide is not coming out of a vehicle’s tailpipe. Inside a catalytic converter are three valuable metals, platinum, rhodium and palladium. Depending on the size of the converter, thieves are selling them for hundreds, even thousands, of dollars. Having a catalytic converter stolen can cost a car owner a lot of money.
