Catalytic converter thefts: The most targeted vehicles

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Huntington Beach, CA - November 13: Huntington Beach, CA - November 13: Catalytic converters, like this one, are being stolen for the precious metals they contain. (Photo by Mindy Schauer/Digital First Media/Orange County Register via Getty Images)

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DETROIT (FOX 2) - Catalytic converter thefts are on the rise around the country.

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, catalytic converter theft reports across the country rose 977% from 2018 to 2020.

"There is a clear connection between times of crisis, limited resources, and disruption of the supply chain that drives these thefts," according to the NICB.

Thieves cut the catalytic converters off the underside of cars then melt the precious metals and sell them.

If your catalytic converter has been removed, the vehicle will run loud. Without a catalytic converter, a vehicle does not convert emissions from the engine into safe gases before they leave the vehicle.

Carfax complied a list of the most commonly targeted vehicles in the United States: