By Shawn Henry 
A pickup owner in Ontario is scratching his head after his stolen catalytic converter got slapped with an “accident damage” tag on the Carfax report, a move that could seriously ding the truck’s resale price. Cooper Gallant, a pro bass fisherman from Bowmanville, stumbled onto this mess while sizing up trade-in options for his 2023 Dodge Ram.
Dude bought the rig brand-new two years back, hauling his gear across the continent for tournaments. But when he tossed around the idea of trading it in with his dad, that Carfax report dropped a bombshell. Instead of calling the missing converter what it was—a straight-up theft—some pencil-pusher had it pegged as crash-related wear and tear. Dealers see that kind of label and suddenly start lowballing, like the truck’s been through a demolition derby.
Here’s the kicker: Carfax records are supposed to be the gold standard for vetting a vehicle’s past. But slap “accident” on anything, even if it’s just some punk swiping a part, and suddenly your ride’s value takes a nosedive. Gallant’s case? Pure whiplash. He paid top dollar for a fresh-off-the-lot truck—no crashes, no drama—only to find his file flagged like a beat-up clunker.
Converter thefts are skyrocketing, no shocker there. But how they land on paper? Total crapshoot. Insurance adjusters, repair shops—nobody’s singing from the same sheet of music. In Gallant’s case, it reads like his truck took a hit, not that some thief crawled under it with a saw. That kind of mix-up doesn’t just sting; it costs cash at the bargaining table.
Bottom line: One lousy theft, zero collisions, but Gallant’s stuck with paperwork that makes his wheels look wrecked. And he’s not alone. More owners are realizing that thefts—stuff that’s nobody’s fault but the crook’s—get tossed into the same bucket as fender benders. Even after repairs, that ghost lingers, haunting trade-in offers and gutting resale dreams. Messed up? You bet.