But the numbers don’t stop there. In 2021, Saskatchewan Government Insurance received 608 claims which cost $1.26 million. In 2022, they have already seen upwards of 181 claims. And it is safe to assume there were at least a few incidents (and associated costs) that weren’t claimed through insurance.

The reason catalytic converters are so attractive to criminals is that they contain precious metals that can be sold quickly for cash. Some provinces, like Alberta, have tried to implement laws to deter the sale of catalytic converters, but thefts continue to rise. And that is why automotive dealership security is crucial for business owners when it comes to theft prevention.

With that in mind, here are some ways that you can prevent catalytic converter thefts at your dealership:

To keep both the inside of your facility secure, as well as the vehicles on your lot, your dealership should implement a verified security solution. 

Unlike traditional CCTV, verified alarms monitor for security threats and then send a live audio or video feed to a security expert in a central monitoring station who is then able to verify that the threat is real.

Once verified, police are notified. This real-time monitoring also increases the average police response time to just 3.5 minutes across North America compared to the 45 minutes average response time that police have for traditional CCTV surveillance.

Your dealership has lots of spare parts and criminals know this. They also know that you may have some spare catalytic converters knocking around. If they are feeling bold, they might try to break their way into your facility to find them.

To lock up your inventory and protect your valuable items, consider installing managed access control.

Managed access control will secure areas of your dealership and service shop where you store valuable items. This includes catalytic converters, other expensive parts and keys for your vehicle inventory. Even better, it will give you in-depth reporting on who was in which room at what time of the day.

Is your dealership located in a busy place where someone has eyes on activity during most hours of the day? Perhaps there are residential houses nearby or maybe there’s a business with long operating hours such as a gas station.

Take a moment to speak with the owners of those properties. Let them know that if they see any suspicious activity occurring on your premises then they are free to either give you a direct call or phone the police if it seems more serious.

Concerned about the threat of catalytic converter theft or break-ins at your dealership? Get in touch with Sonitrol Western Canada today. We would be more than happy to give you a free security audit to discuss risks to your property and how we can help.