Police investigate 4 thefts of catalytic converters

Three residents of an apartment complex in the 2600 block of Washtenaw in Ypsilanti Township told police on Thursday that the devices had been cut from their vehicles sometime Tuesday or Wednesday.

Then, a resident of the 300 block of Village Green Boulevard in Ann Arbor Township told police she went to the parking lot on Thursday and found her exhaust system "hanging down" from the car. Police said someone had removed the catalytic converter from the car overnight on Wednesday.

Police continue to investigate, but said they have no initial suspect information.

The thefts of catalytic converters has been a concern in the area and across the U.S. over recent years as the price of metals climbed, making them attractive to thieves.

From a previous story on AnnArbor.com: Catalytic converters are valuable because of what's inside the emissions control devices: precious metals including platinum and palladium.

The impact for a victim can be costly. From the same earlier report: A car missing a catalytic converter will run very loudly. And the repair can be costly, though insurance will usually cover it. Replacing a stolen catalytic converter can cost anywhere from several hundred to more than a thousand dollars, Ann Arbor area repair shops said.