Six catalytic converters have been stripped from cars on Kent State’s campus so far this semester, an example of a nationwide problem, according to Kent State police.

“If you just type in catalytic converter theft into Google, you’ll get thousands and thousands of hits, but we’re among the many now,” Lt. Carl Sweigert said.

Catalytic converters are part of a vehicle’s exhaust system, which removes pollutants and is located on the underside of vehicles. Because of the high value of metal commodities, thieves target the platinum inside catalytic converters.

All vehicles that had a catalytic converter stolen on campus were Toyotas, except for one Mercury minivan. Three Toyotas were 4Runners and one was a Tacoma truck, Sweigert said.

Dave Brearley, the service writer for Don Joseph Toyota in Kent, said vehicles with higher ground clearance are most at-risk.

“They’re easier to get under,” Brearley said. “You go to crawl under a Corolla or a Chevy Cavalier, you can’t just slide underneath one.”

The converters are likely removed by a portable electric saw, sometimes known as a sawzall or reciprocating saw, Sweigert said.

“It only takes a minute or two to make those cuts, and then they’re taking them to some unscrupulous scrap yard and getting anywhere from $75 to $200 for these things,” he said.

If a vehicle is missing its catalytic converter, he said it will be noticeable in the vehicle’s sound.”It kind of sounds like a tank or Harley Davidson because you’ve now put a big hole in the exhaust system,” Sweigert said.

Brearley said the cost to replace a converter depends on the type of car, where the converter was cut off and the amount that needs to be replaced.

“It can vary anywhere from $800 to $2,500,” he said.

Sweigert said the cost for some of the theft victims is more than $1,000 and often comes out of the victim’s own pocket.

“Although they’re taking one section of the exhaust system, it damages all the rest of the exhaust system, and then the actual catalytic converter itself is very expensive,” Sweigert said.

Brearley said one student from Kent State with a 4Runner came in Friday for the second time because of a stolen converter.

“His was stolen last week; we replaced it,” Brearley said. “It was actually stolen the next day that he got it back.”

To prevent thefts, several companies online sell devices to protect converters, Brearley said.

Sweigert said the thefts occurred during daylight and normal business hours, Monday through Friday. While students are limited in what they can do, the community can keep an eye out for any suspicious activity, he said.

“Just because you see somebody underneath a car, it might not be their car they’re underneath working on,” Sweigert said. “We’d really encourage people, if they see something that looks suspicious, to call 911, call the police.”

Contact safety reporter Kelly Byer at [email protected].