SAFECAT Catalytic Converter Theft Protection
The part thieves want is bolted under almost every car on your lot.
A catalytic converter can come off in a matter of minutes. Your customer finds out the next morning, when the car starts up loud and runs wrong. SAFECAT marks the converter so it can be traced, and backs it with a warranty if it gets stolen anyway.
The Numbers
It slowed down. Now it's coming back.
Converter theft peaked a few years ago, then dropped hard when precious metal prices fell. The metals are back up, and the thieves follow the metal.
Berkeley logged nine converter thefts in the first week of January 2026 alone. And a lot of owners only carry liability on an older car, which means the theft isn't covered at all. That customer pays out of pocket, and the store that sold the car hears about it.
In the West, the most targeted vehicles are the Ford F-150, Ram 2500, Ford Explorer, and Chevrolet Silverado. That isn't a list of rare cars. That's your front line.
California Law
In California, you're already marking converters.
SB 55 became California law in 2024 (marking required since January 1, 2025). It requires dealers to permanently mark the VIN on the catalytic converter of the new and used vehicles they sell. A buyer can decline, but the dealer has to disclose that in writing, and a few vehicle types, like motorcycles and collector cars, are exempt.
So the marking conversation is happening anyway.
The only question is whether it does anything for your customer beyond checking a box. A bare etch helps police after the fact. It doesn't pay to put the car back on the road.
SAFECAT turns it into a product.
SAFECAT Plus VIN is the version AutoPrime built for California's SB 55 requirement. It pairs the marking with a replacement warranty your customer can actually use, and gives your team something worth explaining at delivery.
What It Is
SAFECAT
Theft deterrent plus limited product warranty
Two layers of protection on one converter. The marking makes it traceable, which makes it a worse target. The warranty covers the customer if a thief takes it anyway.
- Marked. A heat-resistant marking label, plus a unique code etched into the metal of the converter.
- Registered. The code is tied to the vehicle's VIN, so police can identify a recovered converter and trace it back to its owner.
- Backed. If the converter is stolen anyway, the SAFECAT limited product warranty provides a benefit of up to $6,000, with a five-year term.
- Built to stack. Sells alongside the theft program you already run. It doesn't replace anything.
The $6,000 benefit and five-year term are provided under the SAFECAT limited product warranty, not by CAS. Claim requirements, eligibility rules, and exclusions apply. Electric vehicles, which have no catalytic converter, and certain exotic vehicles are excluded. See the SAFECAT warranty for complete terms.
Where It Fits
Easy to explain. Easy to install. Easy to see why it matters.
Most F&I products take a pitch. This one takes a news story, and your customer has probably already seen it.
At delivery.
The customer already knows converter theft is a problem, and in California you're already offering the marking. SAFECAT gives that conversation a product at the end of it.
In the service drive.
Customers who bought somewhere else still park overnight. SAFECAT fits your service and parts departments, and Thomas will walk your team through how it's sold, how it's installed, and how a claim gets filed. Same as every program he brings.
Find out what SAFECAT looks like on your lot.
Tell Thomas your monthly units and what theft program you run now. He'll tell you straight whether SAFECAT adds anything. If it doesn't, he'll say so.
Sources. National 2025 theft count, rhodium prices, replacement cost, coverage gaps, and Western target vehicles: Carfax, June 2026. California share of theft claims: U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of California, 2024. Berkeley theft counts: MoneyGeek, February 2026. SB 55 requirements: California Vehicle Code Section 24020. SAFECAT product and warranty details: AutoPrime Financial LLC and SAFECAT consumer materials.