Everett Police Department’s catalytic converter theft prevention project rolling along

EVERETT, Wash. — Another Project CATCON ID event was held Sunday in Everett. This is an ongoing project hosted by the Everett Police Department in which people can get their cars’ vehicle identification numbers engraved on their catalytic converters.

It is being done to deter criminals as catalytic converter thefts have skyrocketed in the city.

Sunday’s event was held at Rodland Toyota of Everett.

A few months back, Claudia McClain’s catalytic converter was stolen off her vehicle.

“It’s scary, it’s disconcerting,” McClain said. “The cost to replace the catalytic converter was over $2,200 in my case.”

She was looking forward to the engraving event held at the dealership as technicians spent the day engraving catalytic converters with a vehicle owner’s license plate number, tagging them with red paint.

Drivers also received a sticker showing their converter had been tagged.

“That’s enough that when a criminal is going to crime underneath a car, it will deter them and prevent them from doing it,” said Colette Kelln, Rodland Toyota of Everett’s service manager.

If an engraved catalytic converter is stolen and then recovered, police can track it back to the owner and find the thief.

It’s a problem police want to stop in its tracks because it just keeps getting worse.

KIRO 7 has reported on converter thieves who are getting more brazen and violent, even stealing them in broad daylight in just minutes.

McClain, who is an owner of an insurance agency, said she is hearing about it more and more from her customers.

“We were getting a call every week or two. Now it’s ramped up even more frequently,” she said.

Because Priuses are being targeted so often, they are parked in a separate holding area at Rodland Toyota.

“It’s a real shame. We have a lot of folks coming in. It’s very expensive, takes a long time. We’re actually at a point where some of the replacement parts are on national backorder. So this is a problem nationally,” said Cathy Schlage, a service adviser at the dealership.

“I’m hoping that if the entire community becomes more aware of this situation that everybody has an eye out,” McClain said.

The Everett Police Department is the first department in western Washington to have a program like Project CATCON ID.

The department has these tips to prevent your catalytic converter from being stolen:

• Install an undercarriage shield or cage.
• Incorporate metal rods alongside your converter.
• Weld flange bolts to your vehicle.
• Install a tilt sensing vehicle alarm system.
• And if possible, park in a garage or well-lit area.

To learn more about Project CATCON ID, click here.

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