Michigan Thieves Shift Focus To Stealing Parts Not Whole Vehicles
Picture this: a quick heist happening in under a minute, and it’s not what you think.
Michigan is no stranger to vehicle theft. In fact, if you look at the number of cars stolen by state, Michigan was in the top 10 almost every year up until recently. The thieves are switching things up now.
Maybe criminals are looking for an easier target or less time in jail if they're busted. The jury is out on the reason why they've decided to start going for 3 specific car parts instead of stealing the entire car. We did some digging and here's what we found.
3 Vehicle-Related Theft Targets in Michigan
Pickup Truck Tailgates
The number of truck tailgate thefts is climbing all over the country. The reason why has nothing to do with how much money they can get for the tailgate. According to Jalopnik.com, it has to do with speed.
The appeal of the Tacoma tailgate lies in the fact that a thief can pull it off fast, reportedly in under 60 seconds. The Tacomas aren't alone, though; Ford F-150s and Super Duty pickups have also had their rear ends targeted for their tailgates (and taillights).
12-Volt Car Batteries
Reports of stolen car batteries are on the rise. This is due to how easy they are to steal, transport, and sell. Working batteries are valuable, and older batteries are easy to sell to scrap yards.
Catalytic Converters
Kelley Blue Book says that the reason there are so many thefts of catalytic converters is because of the valuable metals they contain.
Thieves might be able to get up to $1,000 for a stolen catalytic converter, depending on what vehicle it came from, its age, and its condition. What makes them valuable is the recyclable precious metals inside.
For example, Palladium is trading at around $975 per ounce. Rhodium is sold for nearly $5,400 per ounce.
READ MORE: Michigan Automaker GM Recalls Over 600,000 Vehicles
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Gallery Credit: Scott Clow
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