LINCOLN PARK — The first thing you will notice when you start your car is a rumbling sound.
Your engine will sound like a V8 engine on a motorcycle, especially once you hit the gas.
Chances are, if you experience these symptoms, your vehicle's catalytic converter has been cut clean off your car.
Thieves target older SUVs, according to the Chicago Police Department, because they sit high off the ground and are easy prey.
Thieves want the precious metals inside the converter, which can pocket them around $100 to $150 at scrap yards or on the black market.
The City Council Wednesday approved a measure to crack down on these black market sales, but in the meantime, here are some steps you can take to secure your car and save yourself the $750-plus repair cost.
- Hardware: There are numerous tools on the market that can stop thieves, including the CatClamp ($159.95), which locks the converter in place, and the CatStrap, which includes a wireless alarm and steel barrier ($159.99).
- Make it Traceable: Engrave your license plate number onto the converter.
- DIY: Ask a mechanic to secure the part to the frame with some hardened steel that most saws can't easily cut through.
- Light: This may seem obvious, but park your car in well-lit areas.
Paul Biasco discusses when his catalytic converter was stolen:
Your car's catalytic converter contains precious metals that thieves will pawn on the black market. [Shutterstock]
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