'It's getting bad,' auto dealer says of catalytic converter thefts from vehicles

You’ll want to make sure you store your vehicle in your garage if you have one.

Catalytic converters have been disappearing from Sault auto dealerships and driveways of private residences lately.

“We’ve had 10 stolen and we’ve even had customers come in, their vehicles parked right out front, (their converters) stolen before we even bring them inside in the morning,” said Chad Soulliere, World Cars Hyundai general manager, speaking to SooToday.

“In the past month and a half it’s been pretty rampant.”

“We’ve had cars that we were about to deliver to a customer and we start it up and there’s no ‘cat,’” Soulliere said, adding other local auto dealerships have been hit with catalytic converter thefts.

“It’s getting really bad,” he emphasized.

“It’s happened before but never this amount, and all over town,” Soulliere said. 

Why the sudden urge within the criminal mind to steal catalytic converters?

Soulliere said he isn’t certain, but theorized “somebody might be coming to town and buying them off the people who’re stealing them.”  

Cars, trucks and SUVs are being targeted.

“SUVs (mostly), simply for the fact they're easier to get under. They (the thief, or thieves) have these cordless tools, and you're gone in five minutes,” Soulliere said.

The thefts are taking place at night, Soulliere said, stating two converters were taken from World Cars Hyundai over the weekend.

Soulliere said he wants the public to be aware of the problem, adding it costs approximately $1,000 to replace a converter.

“I feel violated. It’s not yours. It’s not right.”

The Sault Ste. Marie Police Service was not immediately available for comment Monday.