Catalytic converter theft is still a booming business. Just saw this article. Marin county CA (north of San Francisco), thieves caught with over 300 converters.
“Deputies say the pair coordinated with a recycler in Southern California and had sold over 2,500 catalytic converters to the recycler since January. The two received several hundred thousand dollars from those sales to the recycler.”
Marin County deputies seize hundreds of stolen catalytic converters