A long string of thefts has police departments across Northeast Ohio banding together to stop them.
According to multiple police departments, crooks are stealing catalytic converters from cars in public parking lots while in broad daylight.
Jesse Lattea manages a Tuffy in Elyria. He told NewsChannel 5 they've seen multiple customers who've had their converters stolen. Lattea said they're doing it for the cash.
"People who are stealing them are trying to take them to scrap yards and get cash value for them," Lattea said.
It's happening in cities across Northeast Ohio, like Elyria, Avon, Lakewood, and Fairview Park.
Police said they've been stolen in both neighborhoods and public parking lots; crooks jack up the car, cut the part out and run.
Jesse Lattea said the spike in crime doesn't make sense, since scrap prices are low right now.
"Converters, right now, get about $10-$20 from a junk yard. Five, six years ago could've got $50 or $60. This is probably the worst time to steal converters," Lattea said.
Low prices are not stopping the group of thieves.
NewsChannel 5 sat down with Elyria police, who've seen multiple cases recently.
Captain Christopher Costantino said problems have reached a point where departments have formed a task force so they can work together to put an end to it.
"We share intelligence and ideas and look at ways to prosecute these people under different statutes," Costantino said.
Captain Costantino said the thefts may not seem important, until it happens to you.
"It may seem insignificant to some, but for those falling victim to this, it's a huge problem," he said.
