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COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS -- Some skiers heading up the canyons for a good time may come back down to a nightmare.
Cottonwood Heights police are seeing a small increase in the number of catalytic converters being stolen from cars parked at Park & Ride lots.
"It's unfortunate there is a certain percentage of society that is going to steal from the other percentage," said Sgt. Gary Young of the Cottonwood Heights Police Department.
The thefts seems to be random, and not limited to any particular types of cars.
In each case, the thief simply cuts the converter off the car, leaving behind a mess the car owner wouldn't realize until the car is started.
The car will be a lot louder with a missing catalytic converter.
In the past two weeks, three converters were cut off of cars parked at the lot at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon.
"Somebody had to see these guys," said Young, "They're underneath cars, cutting them off, and then they have catalytic converters in their hands and hacksaws or however they managed to do it."
Catalytic converters typically cost about $200 to replace, but the thieves taken them to scrap metal dealers for roughly $20.
"If they get enough of these converters, then they're getting enough for whatever drug fix or car payment or apartment payment," Young said. "I'm not sure what they're doing with the money, but it's unfair."
The police department is asking citizens at the Park & Ride lots to be watching for people who don't look like they belong there.
"Most of the time, skiers look like skiers or snowboarders. They're ready to go," said Young. "If the guy is in tennis sneakers and he's hanging out in the parking lot, then perhaps he's not there to go skiing. Maybe he's there to look at cars and case the place."
Police say if somebody looks suspicious to just give them a call and they will check it out.
"It would be really nice if we got a few more calls on suspicious people," said Young, "because then we can clear up a lot of crime by making one stop."
The police department also wants to remind drivers to hide their valuables so they're not in plain sight.
E-mail: acabrero@ksl.com
