Residents in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood are on the lookout for robbers stealing catalytic converters from their cars.
Police say that the crime is able to be performed with a battery-operated saw and takes less than a minute to complete.
The thieves struck a car on the 2900 block of South Canal on Sunday morning. The car's owner said she heard a loud rumble when she turned the ignition and realized something was wrong.
The converters are easy to grab and have traces of precious metals that can sell for a hundred dollars. Unfortunately, the car's owner is stuck with a big bill that can cost up to 1,500 depending on the amount of damage. SUVs and trucks are big targets for thieves.
To protect yourself, a mechanic can install a cage around a converter that makes it harder to steal.
You can also etch your license plate number onto the converter to make it easier to trace.
