Watch Out For Catalytic Converter Thieves: Mamaroneck PBA

MAMARONECK, NY — The Village of Mamaroneck Police Department has been receiving calls of stolen catalytic converters, the Mamaroneck PBA warned on Thursday.

Both Yonkers and Harrison police officials issued similar warnings in September.

Officials urged neighbors to be on the lookout for signs of thieves at work, including:

• A vehicle double-parked in the street.
• A car jacked up with someone underneath it during overnight or early morning hours.
• The sound of metal being cut.

Anyone who sees (or hears) any of the classic telltale signs of catalytic converter theft should call 911.

Officials say a few simple prevention measures, such as parking in a garage or a well-lit area or engraving a car's VIN number into its catalytic converter, can make cars less attractive to these thieves. Installing a catalytic converter protection device or a car alarm that is set off by vibrations is also recommended.

The catalytic converter is a critical component of your car’s exhaust system. The device can cost up to $2000 to replace, according to information provided by Allstate Insurance. Thieves target the part because it contains expensive metals and has a street value of up to $200, but it can take less than 1 minute to remove from a targeted car.

In September, Harrison police investigated the death of a man who was found underneath a parked car.

Just after 6 a.m., on Sep. 21, officers were notified by a passerby about a car jack protruding from underneath a parked vehicle, with a man underneath the car. The Harrison Police Department and the West Harrison Fire Department removed the unresponsive man from under the car.

The victim was pronounced dead a short time later.

Investigators believe that the man was in the process of stealing a catalytic converter from the vehicle when the car jack he was using either slipped or malfunctioned, pinning him under the car.

SEE ALSO: Man Stealing Catalytic Converter Killed When Car Falls: Police