By Jorge Casuso

September 8, 2026 – Catalytic converter theft is on the rise -- with two incidents reported by police in Santa Monica over the past month -- as the price of the precious metals the auto part contains has been steadily rising.

Last Tuesday, three people were arrested for burglary after a traffic stop in the 1100 block of Pearl Street led to the discovery of a hydraulic jack, reciprocating power saw, power drill and other tools used to remove the part, according to NBC 4 Investigates.

Some two weeks earlier, three masked suspects were confronted by the owner of a parked vehicle while they were removing its catalytic converter, according to police.

"One suspect held a metal pipe, and another displayed a firearm when the vehicle owner attempted to recover the converter," according to SMPD's The Blue Notebook blog for August 9 to 15. The suspects fled, and the investigation remains active.

The nationwide rise in catalytic converter thefts was highlighted Thursday, when the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, in conjunction with several assisting agencies, announced it had served multiple search warrants in connection with "a complex organization of catalytic converter thefts, dismantling, transfers, and purchasing."

The three-month investigation "resulted in the arrests of five involved individuals, and the discovery of approximately 2,400 suspected stolen catalytic converters, several large shipping boxes containing precious metals, two unregistered firearms, and more than $105,000 in US currency," Sheriff's Department officials said.

The total value of the recovered catalytic converters is approximately $4.3 million, according to officials.

The increase in thefts comes amid as the price for the precious metal Palladium contained in catalytic converters is recovering, reaching $1,407.50 per ounce this week after plummeting to around $900 per ounce in 2024, according to markets that track precious metals.

In March 2022, palladium reached an all-time high of $3,440.76 per ounce, triggering a steep rise in catalytic converter thefts both nationwide and in Santa Monica, which saw reported thefts rise from 214 in 2020 to 312 in 2022.

According to Carfax, the Toyota Prius is the most targeted car in the western states for catalytic converter theft, including California.

Santa Monica police have said that Prius is also the most targeted vehicle in the city, where hybrids -- which use less gasoline, making their catalytic converters degrade more slowly -- are common.

Pickup trucks with high clearances that allow thieves to access the part without using a jack, are also prime targets.