Burglars are stealing catalyctic converters from autos and SUVs
It's the metals that are valuable
By Nancy Needham nancy@theacorn.com

A thunderous sound coming from the exhaust system is the first indication a catalytic converter has been stolen from underneath a vehicle that had been running quietly earlier.

Shoppers, moviegoers and others who've parked their cars outside their homes or in business parking lots in Thousand Oaks have returned to their vehicles to discover missing catalytic converters.

Since June, 56 catalytic converters have been stolen in Ventura County, with 17 of them occurring in Thousand Oaks, according to a police report.

Police believe these air pollution abatement devices are now being stolen because the price of recycled metals has skyrocketed due to high demand and surging commodity prices.

"Catalytic converters contain small amounts of platinum, palladium and rhodium, which are highly prized metals," said Detective Eric Buschow of Ventura County Sheriff's Department.

Because of the price of metals, thieves have also been stealing manhole covers, bronze statues, irrigation pipes and copper wiring, he said.

"Catalytic converter theft is happening all across the country," Buschow said.

Thieves typically target sports utility vehicles. Toyota 4Runners or Toyota pickup trucks were the targeted vehicles in 47 of the 56 catalytic converter thefts, Buschow said.

"The ground clearance allows thieves to easily work underneath the vehicle. They either use a power saw to cut it off or they just unbolt it."

Either way, the thieves finish in just a few minutes, even though the catalytic converter gets really hot when a vehicle has been driven and takes a while to cool down after it's parked, the detective said.

Burglars sell the converters— which cost between $1,000 and $1,500—to unscrupulous metal recyclers for $25 to $100.

One local recycler won't buy converters unless the seller shows a receipt for a replacement he's installing on his vehicle, but some dealers in other areas aren't that conscientious, Buschow said"Some take them with no questions asked," he said.

"We get two to three customers in a month who've had their catalytic converters stolen. We weld the bolts in to make them harder to steal and the value goes down if they do steal it," said Tony Lee, owner of Japanese and European Auto Repairat 300 Giant Oak Ave. in Newbury Park.

Many of the thefts occur in public parking lots during daylight hours, police said.

"If someone notices suspicious activity—someone removing something from underneath a car in a parking lot—call the police," Buschow said.

Security at The Oaks mall is already on the case, using golf carts, jeeps, bicycles, Segways and good oldfashioned foot patrols, said Bill Harrell, vice president of security guests services. A $3million video camera security system is also being launched.

"We take security very seriously," Harrell said.

He also suggests that people park where the view to their vehicle isn't obstructed by a delivery van or anything else.

"Stay in welllit, welltrafficked areas and be aware of your surroundings," Harrell said.