Catalytic converters thieves target local businesses in Aiken, Edgefield counties
Jul. 15—Aiken County auto businesses say they've seen a recent uptick in stolen catalytic converters.
Justin McKinney, an employee at McKinney Tire Service, said multiple car lots on York Street in Aiken have been targeted.
"They got us, they got T&W Motors and they got Aiken Discount Tire," McKinney said. "They pretty much come through and rip them all off at once, but it's got to be a group of them because they do multiple businesses in one night."
McKinney said the converters are valuable because they contain rare metals.
"They take it to a recycler and they'll give them anywhere from $200 to $1,100 for the platinum, but you're supposed to have a license for that kind of recycling," he said.
However, if a junk yard wants fast money, McKinney said they just offer them less money and don't charge the licensing fee.
The price of catalytic converters ranges from $800 to $1,200, depending on the vehicle's make and model, according to J.D. Power.
Catalytic converters use a chemical catalyst to clean the exhaust from a vehicle. These catalysts are made of rare metals, which are very expensive.
These metals include platinum ($1,135 per ounce), palladium ($2,332 per ounce) and rhodium ($10,000 to $21,000 per ounce), according to J.D. Power.
On Saturday, two men from Texas were arrested in Aiken County in connection to a potential theft of catalytic converters.
Maurice T. Myers, 23, and Brandon D. Williams, 22, are charged with unlawful transportation of metals/possession of nonferrous metals in vehicle and making implements capable of being used in crime.
Police pulled over a suspicious vehicle on Atomic Road in North Augusta and conducted a probable cause search. Officers located 38 catalytic converters, according to a police report obtained from the North Augusta Department of Public Safety.
The suspects stated they had purchased the converters, but admitted to not having a permit to transport them, according to police.
Police also found "two reciprocating saws and multiple gloves used to cut the catalytic converters off the vehicles" in a hidden compartment in the vehicle, according to the report.
The Aiken County Sheriff's Office and Edgefield County Sheriff's Office responded "due to recent catalytic converter thefts in their agencies," according to the report.
Doug Busbee, owner of Busbee's Auto Inc. in Wagener, said his yard has been hit by thieves looking specifically for catalytic converters.
In January, Busbee said around $20,000 worth of catalytic converters were stolen from his yard.
"They come in and cut holes in the fence and cut the exhaust pipe with saws to get them out," he said. "They can do it in a matter of minutes and be gone."
He said two people from South Congaree were arrested in connection to the incident, however, they've continued to come back.
"They came in four or five times [after the incident] and were in as recently as a month ago," he said.
Busbee explained that the theft of catalytic converters has a larger impact on the community than most people realize.
"When they cut the converters off a work truck, it shuts that business down," Busbee said. "A lot of them are small businesses and it shuts that business totally down, because it's really costly to replace."
Local schools and churches also are at a high risk for catalytic converter theft.
"A lot of church busses and school buses carry the high-dollar ones," he said. "All of the churches in our area have been hit and the aftermarket ones they put in are not as high quality."
