Palm Springs Police warn of uptick in catalytic converter thefts

The Palm Springs Police Department today urged residents to be on the lookout for thieves stealing catalytic converters, which contain precious metals and are expensive to replace.

Since August, there have been more than 20 thefts of catalytic converters reported in the city. They urged residents to follow the following preventive tips:
-- park in a locked garage, or in a well-lit area if possible;
-- park close to fences, walls or curbs, with the exhaust aimed away
from the street in order to make it more difficult for thieves;
-- purchase a "cage clamp," which is a device that locks in the converter to make it more difficult to remove; and
-- purchase a "tilt sensor,'' which will activate a car alarm in the
event a thief attempts to jack up the vehicle to steal the converter.

Anyone with information regarding thefts of catalytic converters was
urged to call the police department at 760-323-8116.