Thieves In Wyoming Are Now Stealing… What?

Authorities in Uinta County say thieves looking to make a quick buck have found a new target — catalytic converters.

According to the Uinta County Sheriff's Office, more than two dozen catalytic converters were recently stolen using a grinder.

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"Precious metals inside the convertors make have made them a target for thieves looking to make quick money," the sheriff's office said on social media. "The sheriff's office has made one arrest and additional arrests are pending."

Residents are encouraged to check on their vehicles that may not run or haven't been used in a while to make sure they haven't been targeted.

Apparently, catalytic converter thefts are part of a rising national trend.

According to CBS News, the price of precious metals in catalytic converters has spiked.

"In 2020 there was an average of roughly 1,200 catalytic converter thefts a month in the U.S., up sharply from an average of about 280 the previous year," according to a CBS report. "All told, reported catalytic converter thefts rose more than 9% to 14,433 in 2020, from 3,389 reported the prior year."