Olmsted County joins catalytic converter theft prevention pilot program

Jennifer Bredow

(ABC 6 News) – The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office said it has joined a catalytic converter theft prevention pilot program.

The program, which was launched by the State’s Commerce Department in 2021, works by adhering a special label to catalytic converters that transfers etchings of the label’s unique number onto the metal once the vehicle is started. The etching makes it
possible for law enforcement to trace a recovered convertor back to a specific vehicle if it’s stolen.

Minnesota law enforcement agencies, automotive dealerships, and service centers are marking the converters, especially those on the most at-risk vehicles, with an easily applied label that has a number, when registered, is traceable to the VIN.

The vehicles most at-risk for catalytic converter theft are:

Chevrolet Express
Honda Element
Mitsubishi Eclipse
Ford Econoline
Honda Odyssey
Mitsubishi Lancer
Ford F250
Hyundai Santa Fe
Mitsubishi Outlander
Honda Accord
Hyundai Tucson
Toyota Prius
Honda CRV
Kia Sportage
Toyota Tundra