Vehicle burglaries are one of the most common crimes throughout South Florida. This is where a criminal gains entry into a car in an attempt to steal any potential valuables inside. However, WPLG Local 10 highlighted a recent theft caught on camera of criminals attempting to carry off with expensive catalytic converters. According to the report, these catalytic converters have expensive precious metals (including platinum) that can be sold for hundreds of dollars.
In the incident posted above, you can see these criminals are actively stealing these parts in broad daylight. And due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve grown used to seeing masked men all around us. They come out with heavy duty jacks a reciprocating saw. You can jack up a car in just seconds. Then get under the car and start sawing. With a powered reciprocating saw, you can get the job done in 60 seconds.
CBS 4 also covered the incident which occurred in Hollywood. They went in depth talking to the Broward County Sheriff’s office where it was explained that this is becoming a growing problem in the tri county area.
CBS 4 also interviewed a representative from G Exhaust in Davie who explained that they’re getting between 4 to 10 customers a week who need a new catalytic converter after having theirs stolen.
How to Prevent It?
The answer is you can’t stop them from getting to your car, but you can always make it harder. Security cameras that notify you of movement around your car is great. Obviously, if you can park your car inside a garage, that’s a great deterrent. But let’s be honest, your car can’t be parked in a secure area 100% of the time. A good car alarm is always helpful. It drives attention to the vehicle and the men attempting to steal your catalytic converter. Remember, these thieves want to get in and out without anyone noticing. They’d prefer to steal a catalytic converter from a car without an alarm.
LOCAL MEDIA
Read the full WPLG Local 10 report at:
https://www.local10.com/news/local/2021/10/04/crafty-criminals-stealing-expensive-parts-made-of-precious-metals-right-off-cars-across-south-florida/
Read the report by CBS 4 Miami at:
https://miami.cbslocal.com/2021/10/06/catalytic-converters-thefts-rising/
