The Mukilteo Police Department (MPD) says that rising costs in precious metals could spark an increase in thieves stealing catalytic converters.
The high-value metals include platinum, palladium, and rhodium, and hybrid cars are more likely to contain these metals, police say.
MPD says ways to avoid these thefts are:
- Parking in a garage whenever possible
- Parking in well-lit areas
- Turning on exterior or motion lights at night
- Installing a catalytic converter shield or anti-theft device
- Reporting suspicious activity in your neighborhood
Police also warn the majority of these thefts will most likely happen at night.