Valuable Car Part Stolen From Toyota Priuses Parked In Driveways

BELMONT, MA — Six Belmont Toyota Prius owners reported that catalytic converters were stolen from their cars Tuesday morning, sometime between 2 and 4:30. Belmont Police said the cars were all models from 2005 to 2008 and were parked in the Grove Street area.

Theft of catalytic converters, a device which limits the emission of pollutants, has been on the rise nationally, the New York Times reported in February. The reason is that they contain palladium, a metal that has risen in value due to its use in controlling pollution — so much so that it is more valuable per ounce than gold, according to the Times.

Why are Toyota Priuses targets? Although they aren't the only cars with catalytic converters, Toyota Priuses rely less on their gasoline engines, meaning that they aren't degrading the palladium in them as quickly as other cars.

If you have a Toyota Prius, consider taking extra anti-theft precautions, like parking in a well-lit area or installing an alarm system.