Rodio: it's worth more than gold and it can cost you money.

San Diego-the value of the chemical element Rodio has skyrocketed in recent years leading to an increase in the theft of catalytic converters in cars as they use this element to filter toxic emissions .110 = 100%

"Rodio's price has risen, to give you an idea, from $1,200 to $29,000 an ounce," said Roberto Spasiano, owner of Roco's Jewelry jewelry, who has worked with this item for more than 40 years.

He uses it to give a better shine to jewelry composed of elements that combined are known as "white gold".

"Rodio is a detachment of platinum. That is to say, in mines, this mostly happens in Africa," Spasiano said, indicating that its value is due to the fact that there is much less Rodio on the market as a result of the reduction in platinum production since 2010, as there was an excess of this last element.

"last year the pandemic got worse because they didn't mine any platinum," added the jeweler.

Less Rodio shoots its cost even more. This affects not only jewelry but also the catalytic converters of the vehicles.

The Rodio is used inside these devices to reduce dangerous emissions from cars.

The San Diego Police Department indicated that catalytic theft has increased significantly since the summer of 2020. The thieves take them because they want the rodium inside them.

For criminals, catalysts shine as if they were jewelry, as inside they could raise hundreds of dollars according to Spasiano. For this reason, thieves do not hesitate to steal one that in a matter of seconds can be cut and taken away.

For their part, the victims of these robberies realize that replacing a catalyst is not cheap at all. It could cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars depending on the year and model of your vehicle.