The Texarkana Texas Police warn people to be careful of catalytic converter theft from their vehicles.

The police department put out a release warning people about parking their vehicles overnight in certain places. The thefts are occurring mainly in business parking lots and it looked like SUVs are the main target. These vehicles are usually in poorly lit conditions.

The thieves steal the catalytic converter from these vehicles and SUVs because they are easy prey. These converters are located in the exhaust portion of the car or truck and SUVs and trucks sit up high making it easy to cut out the converter. These catalytic converters are sold to local metal recyclers for a quick profit. The big issue is the cost of replacement for the vehicle owner. Some of these converters can be over a thousand dollars to replace.

What can you do to prevent this from happening to you? Make sure you are parked in a well-lit area to keep anyone from being tempted to steal your converter. If you park in a driveway add motion sensors to activate lights to help deter theft. Add cameras to your house, especially where you park your car or truck. These cameras can help deter thieves as well as catching them in the act.

The police department reminds you that the harder you make it to be around your vehicle and not be seen is a big deterrent and the thieves will usually move on to something easier for them to steal.

If you spot someone suspicious please make sure to report them to the Texarkana Police Department. The 24-hour non-emergency dispatch line ‪903-798-3876 or dial ‪911‬.

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