Organized Catalytic Converter Theft: An Exploratory Social Network Analysis of a Nationwide Catalytic Converter Theft Network

Abstract

This article provides a mixed methods social network analysis case study of a nationwide catalytic converter theft network. Catalytic converter theft is woefully understudied, and this article seeks to contribute an empirical case study and argues for the application of social network analysis as a law enforcement investigative strategy to better combat organized crime catalytic converter theft. The findings included actors with high levels of betweenness centrality, indicating they were in a brokerage position and that police targeting of them would be highly disruptive to these types of networks. Targeting these high betweenness centrality core buyers, despite network structures that attempt to insulate them, would also help to disrupt demand or raise the costs of these illicit markets; potentially weakening demand for catalytic converter theft.