How to protect your car from catalytic converter theft, and what to do if it happens

A brand new catalytic converter sits on the floor at Johnny Franklin's Muffler in San Rafael, Calif. No state has seen more catalytic converter thefts than California, according to State Farm. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

How can car owners protect themselves from the wave of catalytic converter theft that has swept the country?

Claims for stolen catalytic converters doubled in the year ending June 2022, according to State Farm, the largest auto insurer in the U.S., whose customers reported more than 43,200 stolen converters that year.