Bronx man hard at work to fight off catalytic converter thieves

A welding instructor in the Bronx is putting his skills to use, looking to keep catalytic converter thieves away from people’s cars.

Rafael Greco is no stranger to these robbers – he tells News 12 that some tried to steal his wife’s catalytic converter multiple times, forcing her and him to get involved.

His solution? The “cat-saver” – a contraption made up of metal chains and clamps welded together.

"A friend of the family had her car in the school parking lot, and they went and they stole it twice, since I put the cat-saver on it, they haven't been able to do it again,” said Greco.

Greco says the cat-saver prevents catalytic converter thieves from removing the car part from the bottom of the vehicle away from the muffler. He says the reason it’s so desirable is because there’s precious metals that are used in the car part that can be exchanged at a recycler for lots of cash.

According to the latest data from the NYPD, nearly 8,600 catalytic converters were stolen citywide in 2022 – a 165% increase from 2020.