With catalytic converter thefts rising, Gloucester Twp. offers ways to keep yours safe.

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP — The Gloucester Township Police Department issued an alert regarding catalytic converter theft and ways to prevent these items from being stolen from cars.

"Over the last few decades, more countries have been enacting stricter emission standards. There is now more demand for catalytic converters, which means there’s more demand for their metals," the police department said in a Facebook post.

In addition, these metals — platinum, palladium and rhodium — are rare and also used in many electronics, the police department continued, adding the metals' prices have skyrocketed in recent years.

The police department offered these tips that may possibly prevent catalytic converter theft:

• Park your car in areas that are well-lit, near building entrances or public roads (and if you have access to a garage, park it in there)
• Add video surveillance to the area where your vehicle is parked and/or install a catalytic converter security device to your car.

This past February, two Camden residents were arrested after a bar patron said they had tried to steal from underneath her car, police said. Catalytic converter thefts have recently been reported in parts of New Jersey, including Secaucus, Rutgers University's main campus and in Bloomfield.

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