Houston reports steep decline in catalytic converter thefts due to new laws, metal prices

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Houston is seeing a big decline in catalytic converter thefts after a spike last year sparked new ordinances in the city.

ABC13's partners at the Houston Chronicle looked at the data.

Their report shows about 340 Houstonians reported their catalytic converters stolen in March of this year, down from more than 1,200 reported stolen in March 2022 -- a decline of about 71%.

Between January and April, the number of thefts went down at least 60% compared to the 2022 data from Houston police.

The decline in thefts can be attributed to a combination of changes.

Local and state laws, including an ordinance issued by the city of Houston, made it harder for thieves to resell catalytic coveters.

READ MORE: Catalytic converter ordinance in effect after rise of thefts in Houston

Houston leaders unanimously approved the ordinance in May in an attempt to address the 123% increase in catalytic converter thefts.

The price for metals like platinum, palladium and rhodium, which made the parts valuable, have also dropped dramatically.

An ounce of rhodium could sell for $30,000 about a year ago, compared to about $7,600 now, Sgt. Tracy Hicks said. There's about one to two grams of rhodium in a catalytic converter.

That means a stolen catalytic converter might have once netted potential thieves $8,000, but now would only generate between $400 to $500, HPD said.

SEE ALSO: Authorities find Houston-area ties in nationwide crackdown on catalytic converter theft

An auto-part company was buying stolen catalytic converters, removing the precious metals, and selling it for millions of dollars.