‘Prius and Tundras are on thieves’ radars’: Mechanic shows the real reason thieves steal catalytic converters—and what you can do to protect your car

In a viral TikTok video, a car mechanic (@alexthecardoctor) shared why people steal catalytic converters, and how to keep thieves from taking it.

The converters make a vehicle’s pollutants less harmful to the environment. This car part is located near the engine on the underbelly of a car.

“Catalytic converters are precious metals,” the mechanic says. 

According to the National Automobile Dealers Association, catalytic converter thefts increased by almost 900% between 2019 and 2023.