Oregon Public Broadcasting

Tigard police are holding an unusual event Saturday for owners of Toyota SUV’s and pick-ups.   As Pete Springer reports, police are offering to engrave the catalytic converters on those vehicles.

With more than a dozen reported thefts of catalytic converters in recent weeks in Tigard, police started to notice a pattern.

The catalytic converters were all stolen from Toyota SUV’s and pick-ups, says Tigard police spokesman Jim Wolf.

Jim Wolf: “Trace amounts of precious metals are found in catalytic converters.  The thieves, once they remove the car part, then sells them, likely to unscrupulous metal dealers.”

Police say the high clearance of Toyota SUV’s and pick-ups, combined with easy removal of the catalytic converters, make them a target for thieves.

One victim even reported having her catalytic converter stolen in the daytime while she shopped at Costco. 

Police hope that engraving the converters will make them less likely to be stolen as well as easier to track if they are swiped.

The engraving event will take place at the Tigard Public Works Building from ten to one.