Showers early with some clearing overnight. Low near 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..
Showers early with some clearing overnight. Low near 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
KINGWOOD – AAA East Central warns that catalytic converter thefts are on the rise.
Preston County Sheriff Paul “Moe” Pritt said there has been a slight increase in catalytic converter thefts in the county but said it’s a practice that has been going on intermittently for years.
According to Carfax.com, a catalytic converter is an emissions control device that helps remove harmful greenhouse gases from a vehicle’s exhaust. Inside, there’s typically a piece of ceramic coated with various precious metals, including palladium, rhodium and platinum, which are the “catalysts” that create a chemical reaction to convert the harmful gases into safer substances.
The rhodium and palladium are worth more per ounce than gold.
Pritt said usually the thefts of catalytic converters happen in car lots or to vehicles parked along streets or in unlit areas. However, he said this is not always the case.
“A month ago we caught someone trying to steal one in the middle of Terra Alta,” he said.
“Catalytic converters are attractive to thieves because they can be sold for hundreds of dollars to scrapyards or internet buyers,” said Jonathon King, vice president of insurance sales for AAA East Central. “It’s important for vehicle owners to have comprehensive insurance coverage, which in most cases covers catalytic converter replacement.”
Pritt said price varies due to the size of the converter. Larger converters contain more of the precious metals buyers want.
SUVs and fleet vehicles are among the most targeted. Additionally Toyota Priuses have been targeted because they have two catalytic converters.
According to AAA East Central’s news release, once sold, catalytic converters can be resold to recyclers interested in the expensive metal inside them. Typically recyclers will pay $50 to $250 per catalytic converter.
Unfortunately the cost to replace the part could cost between $1,000 and $3,000 depending or the car or truck.
Some tips to prevent catalytic converter theft include parking in well-lit areas and close to building entrances, having the catalytic converter welded to the car frame, buying a converter-protection device and consider engraving your vehicle ID number or license plate number on the catalytic converter. This could alert a scrap dealer that it was stolen and make it easier to find the owner.
Staff Writer Jeniffer Graham can be reached at JGraham@Prestonnj.com
Your comment has been submitted.
There was a problem reporting this.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.
Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.
Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription
News from around the State and World. What you need to know for today! Don't Miss it!
Find out what's happening around the state with this weekly email alert sent every Thursday evening!
Sign up to get our statewide obits delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign up to receive our daily newsletter about all things business and politics in West Virginia.
Morgantown News Delivered Each Day!
Morgantown News Delivered to Your Inbox Each Week!
Special offers from businesses around your area.
Get the latest headlines on local WVU, College and High School sports!
Get latest breaking news from around the state when it happens.
Daily News, Sports and Events from The ET.
Sign up for the only WV Government and Business newsletter delivered each week!
This week's most popular news from around the State. Don't Miss it!
Daily News, Sports and Events for Marion County.
Weekly Fairmont news emailed every Thursday evening!
Daily News, Sports and Events for Garrett County and surrounding areas.
Find out what's happening in Garrett County with this weekly email alert!
Get the Jackson Star & Herald Delivered to your email everyday!
Get the Jackson News Weekly delivered to your inbox!
Daily news from the Mineral News & Tribune delivered to your email!
Get the news for Mineral County, Keyser and Frankfort delivered to your email on Tuesdays and Fridays!
Daily News, Sports and Events for Preston County.
Weekly email alert sent every Tuesday and Friday afternoon for Preston County!
Get the River Cities Tribune & Register Delivered to your email everyday!
Get the River Cities Tribune and Register Delivered to your email less frequently!
Daily News, Sports and Events for Weston and Surrounding areas.
Sign up for local job offers sent to your inbox.
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Invalid password or account does not exist
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account.
Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
A receipt was sent to your email.