Catalytic converter thefts hit the brakes on Memorial Day weekend travel in the Fox Valley
NEENAH, Wis. (WFRV) – With a three-day weekend in store, many people will be racing to their favorite getaways. But not if you suddenly discover that your vehicle is missing its catalytic converter.
“It happens regularly, but sometimes it’s sporadic. There [are] other agencies throughout the Fox Valley that have dealt with a string of catalytic converter thefts,” Fox Crossing community liaison Officer Daniel Wiechman said. “It’s actually not that hard; if they make certain cuts in a certain spot, they can remove one within a minute or two.”
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Two confirmed thefts took place sometime during the off-season at Mid-West Mini Storage in Neenah, which declined to comment. One of those victims is Dennis Moericke.
“I started it up, and it was very, very loud. Went underneath it with my mechanic scraper and found out I was missing a hunk of the exhaust system,” Moericke said. “Somebody had decided they needed my catalytic converter more than I did. The exhaust is cleanly cut in two places. There [are] wires hanging down because there’s an oxygen sensor.”
According to Moericke, the investigation has hit a dead end as the security camera footage cannot be viewed. He says the criminal managed to get into the fenced-in area by cutting a hole in the chain-link fence.
“The sheriff’s deputy says he had another call from the same lot,” Moericke said. “Probably the next week or so before Memorial Day, when everybody starts getting their stuff out, he’ll probably be getting a few more calls.”
The catalytic converter is an exhaust emission control mechanism that uses wiring and expensive metals. A vehicle does not need a catalytic converter to run a short distance, but it will damage the engine if long-term use without one occurs.
It is those expensive metals that thieves are after.
“It’s just a simple couple of cuts off of the exhaust line,” Wiechman said. “Metals such as palladium and rhodium have a very high value on the black market.”
According to the Kelly Blue Book, national thefts of catalytic converters went from 1,300 in 2018 to 64,000 in 2023.
For Moernicke, it is not a matter of missed vacation but missed service work, which has robbed his charitable organization of its volunteers and cost him thousands in repairs.
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“[It’ll cost] just a buck or two underneath $5,000,” he said. “This summer, I work out at Spencer Lake Christian Center. I am their small engine repair man. I was told that last summer, I saved the camp about $5,000 in the work that I did.”
Police say that if you cannot park your vehicle inside, you can buy DIY kits to prevent your catalytic converter from being stolen, ranging anywhere from $50 – $300. A cheaper option is to engrave or spray paint your VIN number onto your catalytic converter to deter thieves from stealing it.
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