Stolen catalytic converters found in Denver scrapyard
Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office
Catalytic converters, theft targets due to their valuable metals, are rarely found after being stolen from vehicles. In January, investigators found three of them, stolen in October, in a local scrap yard.
On Oct. 7, three catalytic converters were stolen from Toyota Tacoma trucks at Eco Shield Pest Solutions, located at 7275 S. Revere Pkwy in Centennial.
Catalytic converters are small muffler-looking devices along car exhaust systems that convert environmentally hazardous exhaust emitted by the engine into less harmful gas.
In recent years, catalytic converter theft has skyrocketed due to the increase in value of metals the devices contain, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).
Usually when catalytic converters are stolen, they’re never found and the thieves aren’t caught, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office.
However, in October’s theft case, investigators tracked down the stolen parts to a scrapyard in Denver and arrested Jeremiah Jansen, 47, in connection with the theft.
The scrapyard had more than just the three stolen converters, according to the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators said they were “shocked at just how many” used converters they found at the location.
On Nov. 30, investigators got an arrest warrant for Jansen on charges of:
- Identify theft – class four felony
- Theft – class six felony
- Criminal mischief – class five felony
Douglas County sheriff deputies arrested Jansen on Jan. 3 on an unrelated charge of motor vehicle theft. He is being held at the Douglas County Detention Facility on the charges from both Douglas and Arapahoe counties.
“This is the first time I can remember that we’ve ever been able to track down stolen catalytic converters,” Arapahoe County Sheriff Sergeant Matt Davis said. “Once they’re gone, they gone and they’re almost impossible to find. This was a real win for us to locate them.”
The metals used in a catalytic converter, platinum, palladium or rhodium, have skyrocketed in value in recent years, according to NICB. As these values increase, so do catalytic converter theft numbers.
Over the past several years, there has been a significant increase in catalytic converter theft, according to the NICB. In 2019, there were 3,389 claims filed for catalytic converter theft. In 2020, that number increased to 14,433 — a 325% increase in a year.
The Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority (CATPA) provides tips to protecting your catalytic converter from theft:
- Lock your car and take your keys every time and remove or hide valuables. If your vehicle is stolen, it may be recovered but your catalytic converter may be removed in the meantime.
- Park your car in a secure area, like a residential garage or secure lot.
- Contact your insurance company representative to see if your policy covers catalytic converter theft and, if not, what options there are to add this coverage.
- Contact CATPA for a free CATETch label and additional information on securing your vehicle and its catalytic converter.




