Catalytic converters stolen in Huntsville

Catalytic converters stolen in Huntsville

Region.

It's a costly theft for crime victims. in fact - one huntsville hospital worker is out 650 dollars after thieves swiped a catalytic converter while she was on the job..

Waay 31's olivia schueller talked with investigators about why catalytic converters are so tempting for thieves.

The victim parks at the blackwell tower parking garage at huntsville hospital.

It's supposedly secure, needing a badge to enter and exit.

But one early morning, two individuals were able to get into the parking garage, go under a vehicle and steal two catalytic convertors.

Huntsville police department says they have two suspects in the case.

Tim clardy, sergeant it seems to be more of a crime of opportunity for some of these offenders.

Hospital security footage shows a man and a woman..

Investigators are working to get more evidence before making an arrest.

So what makes people want to steal cataltyic convertors?

Jason ogle, thieves are stealing this for one reason mainly.

There is three precious earth metals in the catalytic convertor.

That's playdium, rhodium and platinum.

Playdium and radium can sell for more than gold.

The hospital employee noticed that her vehcile was loud when she turned it on.

Her husband checked on the vehicle later on and saw two of the three catalytic convertors were gone.

Ogle they crawl underneath the vehicle and take a large pipe cutter or a saw zaw and they can cut one off in a couple of minutes.

Most cars have two, they're going to have one here and one here.

These will very rarely be stollen because you really have to go up into the engine.

Catalytic convertors can be hard to sell.

Ogle the place here in huntsville that takes in a lot of metal salavage, they will require a letter if you bring something like that in, where you got the part.

Someone who steals a catalytic convertor can sell it for 200 to 700 dollars.

Depending on the size of the car, installation and replacement can cost 6-hundred to 2-thousand dollars.

A hefty cost a huntsville hospital employee nows faces.

Huntsville police investigators are asking anyone with information on the thefts