30 catalytic converters stolen from business

Acadia Parish Crime Stoppers is asking for help in solving the theft of 30 catalytic converters.
The crimes occurred in the 2500 block of Aymond Street, south of Eunice between the evening of Dec. 3 and the morning of Dec. 6, according to Sheriff K.P. Gibson
Unknown suspect(s) gained access to the property by cutting a fence. They were then able to gain access to 15 Ford Super Duty trucks and remove two catalytic converters from each vehicle.
The estimated loss from this theft is approximately $90,000.
Anyone with any information regarding the crimes is urged to call the tips line at 337-789-TIPS / 8477 or download the P3 app on a mobile device to report an anonymous tip.
All callers will remain anonymous and can receive up to a $1,000 cash reward for information leading to an arrest in this case.
The catalytic converters are part of a vehicle’s exhaust system and are designed to filter out harmful emissions. Thieves target them because they contain precious metals.
The common consensus seems to be that the Prius, the Tacoma, Lexus SUVs and the Accord are some of the most targeted vehicles for catalytic converter theft.
The Toyota Prius is the most targeted car for catalytic converter theft. As a low-emissions vehicle, Prius converters contain larger amounts of the precious metals platinum, rhodium, and palladium.
Thieves can fetch as much as $700 per converter from unscrupulous scrap yards.
If you have comprehensive coverage on your auto insurance policy, catalytic converter theft is usually covered. Comprehensive coverage may pay to replace the stolen converter and repair any damage caused by its removal. However, despite its name, comprehensive insurance does not cover everything.
The average cost for catalytic converter replacement is between $1,695 and $1,733.
Three ways to protect against catalytic converter theft include:
• Etching your license plate number onto your catalytic converter. This makes the part identifiable to law enforcement.
• Parking in well-lit areas.
• Installing an anti-theft device.
Diesel catalytic converters come from diesel engines. A lot of times the diesel engine cats are not worth too much money due to the lack of precious metals inside like platinum, palladium and rhodium. However, there are some diesel cats that are worth a decent amount of money.
According to data from 2020, the most expensive catalytic converter belonged to the Ferrari F430, with a mind-popping $3,770 price tag.