TEMPLE, Texas (KXXV) — Temple city officials are stepping up crime prevention efforts with a $1 million investment in surveillance technology to combat catalytic converter thefts driven by the high value of precious metals.
- Catalytic converter thefts in Temple are declining, but city officials remain proactive due to the high value of precious metals like platinum, palladium, and rhodium that make the devices attractive to thieves.
- The Temple City Council approved a $1 million proposal to expand surveillance infrastructure, including Flock and Axon license plate-reading cameras, to improve crime prevention and investigation.
- Police say the new technology is already reducing catalytic converter and motor vehicle thefts, and city leaders are hopeful it will continue to enhance public safety.
Check out what the Temple PD is going to invest in:
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
While catalytic converter thefts may be on the decline in Temple, city officials say they’re not letting their guard down.
“What seems to be a driving force in catalytic converter theft?” asked reporter Marc during an interview with a local expert.
“Catalytic converters have a lot of precious metals,” said Kip Genzl, owner of Kip Auto Shop.
Genzl explained that the valuable metals inside these devices — including platinum, palladium, and rhodium — make them highly desirable to thieves. The resale value of these materials can push the price of a single converter into the thousands of dollars, especially when sold to junkyards.
“It has to do with the very expensive precious metals,” Genzl added.
"It's very expensive... several thousand dollars have to come from a dealer because these ones at an auto part store are only a couple hundred dollars and they work fine, but it won't keep your check engine light out," he said.
To address the issue, the Temple City Council recently approved a $1 million proposal presented by Temple Police Department crime analyst Mike Trehern.
“When a crime does occur, it’ll help us get better investigative leads as well,” Trehern said.
The funding will go toward expanding the city’s surveillance infrastructure, including the installation of additional Flock and Axon license plate-reading cameras. These systems can identify vehicles in real time and assist investigators in tracking down suspects.
“Now we can invest in systems that can help solve and prevent more crimes,” Trehern said.
Police say the technology is already paying off.
“It’s really helped us drive down numbers for not just catalytic converter theft, but for motor vehicle theft as well,” Trehern said.
With new systems in place and continued community vigilance, city leaders are optimistic Temple can stay ahead of the trend and keep residents safe.
Here's some stats:
- There were 5 Catalytic Converter thefts reported from Jan-June 2024.
- There have been 2 Catalytic Converter thefts reported so far from Jan-June 2025.
- There were 6 Catalytic Converter thefts reported for all of 2024.
