Several Catalytic Converters Stolen From 80th Avenue Metra Lot

Five Tinley residents had catalytic converters cut from their sport utility vehicles this week while they were parked in a local Metra lot.

All thefts occurred on Monday between 5:40 a.m. and 7 p.m. at the 80th Avenue train stop, 18001 80th Ave., where commuters left their vehicles parked while they were at work, according to police reports.

Catalytic converters are easy to steal and in demand because they have precious metals such as platinum, palladium, rhodium or gold that are used as the catalyst, according to Edmunds.com.

While recyclers can make thousands of dollars extracting the metals, car owners are often left with an expensive bill to replace the converters.

Four of the five thefts Monday involved Lexus SUVs. The following accounts were taken Thursday from the reports for July 18.

• A 44-year-old woman told police that between 7:30 a.m. and 6 p.m., someone stole the catalytic converter out of her 2006 Toyota Higlander.
• A 54-year-old woman said the catalytic converter to her 2009 Lexus 350RX had been stolen. She said she believed someone took it between 6:50 a.m. and 6 p.m.
• A 47-year-old woman, whose vehicle was parked in the lot between 7:30 a.m. and 7 p.m., said someone stole the catalytic converter from her 2008 Lexus SUV.
• A 66-year-old man, who had parked his 2007 RX330 Lexus between 6:40 a.m. and 6 p.m., reported that his catalytic converter was missing.
• A 43-year-old woman, who parked her 2008 Lexus RX350 in the lot between 5:40 a.m. and 5:20 p.m. also said her converter had been stolen. She first realized something was wrong when she tried to drive away and "noticed that her vehicle sounded very loud," according to the report.