At least four residents arrived from the San Jose commuter train Monday afternoon to find their cars in the Caltrain lot without their catalytic converters.
Morgan Hill police Cmdr. David Swing said four online police reports were filed regarding the incident, in which the converters were removed from Toyota vehicles.
The catalytic converter is a part of the car's exhaust system.
According to Rob Johnson, a smog technician at Community Garage & Towing, removing the catalytic converter wouldn't make the car inoperable, just very loud, unless wires were cut on the way to accessing the converters.
"As part of the exhaust system, it's kind of a muffler. The cars could be really loud without them," Johnson said, noting that a driver using a vehicle without one might get ticketed for noise pollution alone.
Thieves purportedly steal the car part for their precious metals - platinum, palladium and rhodium, Johnson said.
"Auto recyclers aren't supposed to buy them, but some do, and there's a black market for them," he said.
Swing agreed, adding that with the economy lagging, crimes like these are rising. He couldn't say how many times the department gets reports of catalytic converter theft in a given month. Thieves prefer SUVs and trucks because they're taller, making them easier to get under and out for a quick crime. Johnson and Swing estimated the catalytic converters could be sold for anywhere between $100 and $1,000.
It's unclear why the vehicles were towed. Community Garage & Towing towed the four cars.
Morgan Hill resident Bruce Zuchowski said his wife Pamela was on the early afternoon train, which arrived in Morgan Hill at about 5:30 p.m. Zuchowski said "every Toyota within walking distance" was hit.
Zuchowski said he wondered what would be done to prevent cars in the Caltrain lot from becoming sitting ducks.
"With more people using Caltrain because of gas, and with the new courthouse about to open, if you can't leave your car there, what are you supposed to do?" he wondered.
Swing declined to say what security measures are in place there.
Natalie Everett Natalie Everett is the education and city reporter for The Times. Reach her at (408) 779-4106, ext. 201, or neverett@morganhilltimes.com.
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