A new report from CARFAX estimates more than 137,000 catalytic converters were stolen across the United States in 2025 — with thousands more already gone in the opening months of 2026. Law enforcement agencies across the country are reporting a fresh wave of incidents, and rising precious metal prices are giving thieves every reason to keep at it.

We've covered this problem extensively on this blog. But this particular report gave us pause — not because of the overall numbers, but because of one thing conspicuously missing from the data.

137,000 Stolen. The Problem Is Not Going Away.

Before we get to the list, let's be clear about what this data actually represents. This is not a story about theft slowing down.

Houston police confirmed the city's theft count through early May had already surpassed full-year totals from each of the previous two years — and that figure doesn't include anything reported in the weeks since. Law enforcement in multiple states are describing what they're seeing as a resurgence.

Rhodium — one of the precious metals packed inside every catalytic converter — has more than doubled in value over the past year, reaching around $11,000 per ounce in March 2026. A standard converter brings a thief $25–$300 at scrap. A hybrid converter can fetch up to $1,400. Your replacement bill can run $3,000 or more. The incentive structure hasn't changed. If anything, it's gotten stronger.

Ten Most-Targeted Vehicles in 2025 — and What's Missing

Here are the vehicles CARFAX identified as most frequently targeted nationwide last year:

If you've been paying attention to catalytic converter theft for any length of time, one thing jumps out immediately: not a single Toyota on the list.

For years, Toyota Priuses, Tacomas, 4Runners, and Tundras have dominated every theft ranking we've seen. Their converters carry high concentrations of precious metals, they're widely known in the scrap trade, and they've historically commanded some of the highest black market prices of any vehicle. So why aren't they here?

Toyota Has Done Something Right — But Don't Call It Safe

We want to give credit where it's due. Toyota has been more proactive than virtually any other OEM when it comes to offering customers a path to protection. Dealer-installed cat shields became a real option for Toyota owners early, the conversation reached mainstream Toyota communities, and owners followed through. That combination — manufacturer commitment plus owner awareness plus available product — is exactly what meaningful protection looks like at scale.

We believe that commitment is showing up in the data. When an entire vehicle community gets serious about physical protection, it changes the risk calculation for thieves. Not because the converter becomes worthless — it doesn't — but because the job gets harder. And when the job gets harder on one vehicle, opportunistic thieves look for an easier one.

This data may also reflect a reporting gap rather than a true drop in Toyota thefts. CARFAX's numbers are built on vehicle history records, not police reports. Owners who pay out of pocket, skip the insurance claim, or simply don't file a report won't show up in this data — and high-theft communities often have high rates of unreported incidents precisely because owners feel the process isn't worth it. We'd caution against reading Toyota's absence from this list as confirmation that the problem is solved.

Thieves Go Where Shields Don't Exist

Here's what we think this list is actually telling us — and we can speak to this directly, because we manufacture these products.

The aftermarket shield market has, for good reason, followed the theft data. Toyota has been targeted so heavily for so long that protection options for their vehicles are now well-developed, widely distributed, and widely known. We cover the majority of Toyota's lineup. So do a handful of other manufacturers. If you drive a Toyota and you've done any research at all, you've probably already found a shield.

The vehicles on this CARFAX list are a different story. Shield coverage for these makes and models is significantly thinner across the industry. Fewer options exist. Dealer programs haven't materialized the way they have for Toyota. And most owners of these vehicles don't yet know to look for protection — because the conversation in their communities hasn't reached the same level.

This isn't a coincidence. When a class of vehicles becomes broadly protected, the theft community adapts. They shift toward vehicles where protection is sparse, unfamiliar, or hard to find. The CARFAX list isn't a random snapshot — it's a map of where the coverage gaps are.

Every OEM — and Every Owner — Can Learn From Toyota's Example

Toyota didn't solve catalytic converter theft. But they demonstrated something important: when an OEM takes the problem seriously, builds a protection option into the ownership experience, and makes it easy for customers to act — it matters. It shows up in the data.

The vehicles on this year's most-stolen list don't have that ecosystem yet. Some may be years away from it. But individual owners don't have to wait for their manufacturer to catch up. The same decision Toyota owners made — to put a physical deterrent between a thief and an expensive repair bill — is available to anyone willing to make it.

We cover a growing range of vehicles beyond Toyota. If your vehicle is on this list, or if you've simply never checked whether a shield exists for your application, now is the right time to find out.

Miller CAT Is Working to Close the Gap — Starting With Ford and GM

We're not just watching this problem from the sidelines. Miller CAT is actively working with Ford and GM to expand our coverage and grow our dealer network for their vehicles. Our goal is to give Ford and GM owners the same thing Toyota owners have had: a straightforward path to protection through the dealership experience they already trust.

That work is underway. But it takes time — and in the meantime, the theft data isn't waiting.

The coverage is expanding. The dealer network is growing. But the thieves aren't taking a break while we build it out.