FLORENCE — Florence city and county law enforcement officers said they are seeing a rash of catalytic converter thefts.
The crimes have happened at hospitals, restaurants and movie theater parking lots.
Police said the most recent case happened Thursday in broad daylight at the Pee Dee Animal Hospital on Second Loop Road, where someone cut a catalytic converter from a parked car.
Both auto mechanics and scrap metal yards in Florence are seeing the results.
Danny Thompson, owner of Midas shop in Florence is one of them.
In 35 years, he said, he’s never seen so many unhappy customers — but it’s not because of his service.
“The last couple of weeks, we’re getting about one a day” about catalytic converters, Thompson said.
According to the Web site, howstuffworks.com, catalytic converters convert harmful pollutants into less harmful emissions before they ever leave a vehicle;s exhaust system. They are installed on the bottom of a vehicle, usually near the front, and are about a foot long.
A truck Friday belonging to a McLeod Health employee was just one of many vehicles missing a catalytic converter that Midas recently repaired.
“During the day ... it was taken while he was at work yesterday (Thursday),” Thompson said. “There’s several businesses in this area that’s had as many as three or four stolen in one night.”
George Bush, owner of Bush Recycling, said he often sees the result of the crime.
“I don’t want the thief bringing them (stolen catalytic converters) to me, so I really don’t advertise buying them,” he said.
In the past, Bush said, businesses also have been targeted.
“You’ll have people try to come in the back and jack the cars up and cut the converters off at night,” he said.
Bush said the converters are typically worth anywhere from $5-$100.
“It’s the same principle as a muffler. If mufflers (are) burnt out from the inside, they’re no good” Bush said.
Thompson said the repairs cost his customers anywhere from $200-$1,500.
According to The (Asheville, N.C.) Citizen-Times, which reported a spike in a catalytic converter thefts there, the devices are valuable to thieves because of the the platinum, rhodium and palladium they contain, metals that have spiked in prices in recent months. The value of platinum has nearly doubled in the past year, especially during the first half of 2008 when it commanded prices as high as $2,252 per ounce.
Darlington County sheriff’s deputies said they haven’t had a rash of these crimes lately, but they have been a major issue in the past.
Police said it takes thieves only minutes to cut the converters out. Anyone who notices suspicious activity is asked to contact the nearest law enforcement agency or Crime Stoppers of the Pee Dee at (843) 667-TIPS (8477) or (866) 369-TIPS (8477). Callers need not reveal their identities.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement