Caledonia police investigate catalytic converter thefts

CALEDONIA (WITI) -- Caledonia police are looking for the suspect(s) responsible for the thefts of 24 catalytic converters at Economy Motors on Douglas Avenue in Caledonia. Police say the thefts occurred over a period of several weeks.

According to officials, five converters were reported stolen on September 25th. Police say the other 19 converters were cut and stolen from 16 vehicles between October 7th and October 8th.

Authorities say employees noticed the thefts after the vehicles began to run louder than normal during test drives.

Police found tire tracks around the property and cut marks on the vehicles. According to officials, the cut marks are consistent with those cause by an electric saw.

Authorities say the thieves appear to be after metals inside the converters that include:Platinum, Palladium and Rhodium. The thieves typically extract metals from converters with the intent to sell them to scrap yards.

The reported loss from Economy Motors was estimated by the dealer as $5,700.

According to officials, converter thefts have also been reported in Grand Chute, Menasha and Fox Valley areas.