Just because something has a cost doesn't mean it's irreplacable or rare.<p>There's other things that cost alot on a vehicle, wheels and tires on an SUV cost more or about equal to the catalytic converter, so by design wheels and tires are from a supply and demand perspective more precious and rare than catalytic converters.<p>What thieves choose to steal has nothing to do with scarcity and everything to do with convenience. While these small amounts of precious metals may sound important rare earth metals are literally everywhere.<p>Were just too rich to care about mining them in the first world.