Catalytic converters are being stolen from vehicles in The Villages and law enforcement is urging residents to keep an eye out.
“It takes two minutes to steal a catalytic converter,” said Lt. Robert Siemer, Sumter County Sheriff’s Office district commander for The Villages.
He said if you see someone “suspiciously” crawling under a vehicle, you should immediately report it to the sheriff’s office
“If you see something, say something, as Sheriff Farmer always says,” Siemer said.
Last week thieves hit a storage facility and stole catalytic converters, he said. It’s been a problem throughout Florida and the rest of the nation.
The catalytic converters are especially enticing to thieves because of the precious metals they contain – platinum, palladium and rhodium. The price per ounce of platinum is currently around $1,200.
