BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WCIA) — New data from State Farm shows that in the first half of 2023, catalytic converter theft in Illinois went down compared to the previous year.
Data taken in 2022 showed that there were almost 3,880 claims made in Illinois during the entire year, averaging 1,940 for each half of the year. During the first half of 2023, the number of claims made in the state was 1,300, a 33 percent decrease.
State Farm noted a similar downward trend nationwide, with only 14,500 claims between January and June of 2023. There were 45,000 claims in all of 2022, an average of 22,500 for each half of the year.
“This is good news in a story that first gained traction when State Farm claims data indicated a significant increase in catalytic converter thefts over the last several years,” the company said in a statement.
The data also found that, despite decreasing numbers, Illinois is still the No. 3 state in the nation when it comes to catalytic converter theft in the first half of 2023. Only California (5,400 claims) and Texas (1,450 claims) rank higher.
| Top 10 States (Jan. to June 2023) | Year-by-year Nationally | Year-by-year Illinois |
| California 5,400 claims $17.4 million paid Avg. $3,222 per claim | 2019 2,500 claims $4.7 million paid Avg. $1,900 per claim | 2019 480 claims $651,000 paid Avg. $1,356 per claim |
| Texas 1,450 claims $5.1 million paid Avg. $3500 per claim | 2020 10,000 claims $20.9 million paid Avg. $2,100 per claim | 2020 740 claims $1.1 million paid Avg. $1,486 per claim |
| Illinois 1,300 claims $2.9 million paid Avg. $2,230 per claim | 2021 32,000 claims $73.7 million paid Avg. $2,300 per claim | 2021 1,985 claims $3.1 million paid Avg. $1,562 per claim |
| Colorado 670 claims $2 million paid Avg. $3,000 per claim | 2022 45,000 claims $115.4 million paid Avg. $2,500 per claim | 2022 3,880 claims $8.3 million paid Avg. $2,139 per claim |
| New York 500 claims $1.5 million paid Avg. $3,000 per claim | 2023 (Jan. to June) 14,500 claims $41.7 million paid Avg. $2,900 per claim | 2023 (Jan. to June) 1,300 claims $2.9 million paid Avg. $2,230 per claim |
| Pennsylvania 480 claims $1.1 million paid Avg. $2,300 per claim | ||
| Georgia 410 claims $898,000 paid Avg. $2,190 per claim | ||
| Minnesota 400 claims $934,000 paid Avg. $2,335 per claim | ||
| Florida 330 claims $896,000 paid Avg. $2,715 per claim | ||
| Washington 320 claims $773,000 paid Avg. $2,415 per claim |
The decline in catalytic converter thefts from 2022 to 2023 is the first decrease since 2019, and the lowest number of thefts since 2020.
Along with the data, State Farm also provided a few tips on how to prevent catalytic converter theft:
- Park inside a garage or in well-lit areas
- Install a senstive alarm system
- Have a security camera pointed at your car in its usual parking spot
- Engrave your VIN on your car’s catalytic converter
