Over the past 48 hours, Newark Police have received 6 reports of thefts of catalytic converters from vehicles.  Five of the thefts occurred during the overnight hours, while one theft occurred during daytime hours.  Notably, five of the involved vehicles were Toyota Priuses.

The following is a breakdown of the recent cases:

The Newark Police Department needs the public’s assistance to stop these crimes.  Please call Newark Police immediately if you see suspicious activity related to thefts of catalytic converters.  This activity may include:

• A vehicle pulled up close to another vehicle
• A vehicle on jacks or blocks in a parking space
• A person laying under a vehicle or a vehicle otherwise being worked on in a parking lot

Likely targets of catalytic converter thefts include vehicles that sit higher off the ground like an SUV.  The Toyota Prius and Honda Element are also targets due to the amount of precious metals in the catalytic converter.

Some tips to avoid being the victim of a catalytic converter theft include:

1. Engrave your vehicle’s license plate number or VIN onto your catalytic converter.  This could help deter its sale to a scrap dealer and allow for identification of the owner.
2. Park in well-lit areas
3. Park in a garage if available
4. Install an anti-theft device
5. Install motion-sensitive lights and cameras in your parking area
6. Paint your catalytic converter to deter buyers

Additional information about catalytic converter thefts can be found here: carfax.com, kbb.com