Sonoma Priuses targeted for part thefts

Catalytic converter thieves have popped up again in the Valley.

Thieves chopped at least three catalytic converters from beneath Toyota Priuses last week in Sonoma - including two in one night on the same street.

Sgt. Mike Baraz, with the Sonoma Police Department, said the first call was the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 24, when a resident in the 400 block of Rosalie Drive reported that when he tried to start his 2006 Prius, he heard a roar coming from under his car. Another resident in the same block reported that the catalytic converter from her 2009 Prius was gone too.

Both cars were parked in front of the respective owners' residence – and one of them was parked under a streetlight.

Sonoma Police received another call the following morning, Wednesday, Nov. 25, from a resident in the 500 block of Chase Street who reported that the catalytic converter on his 2009 Prius had been chopped out sometime overnight. In addition to the catalytic converter, the thief or thieves also helped themselves to $4,500 worth of power tools that were in the Prius, and a Kenwood amplifier from a truck that also belonged to the victim.

And the thefts apparently haven’t been confined to Sonoma.

The Press Democrat reported on Saturday that Sebastopol police were looking into the theft of three catalytic converters earlier that week in that west county city.

Catalytic converters, which are located under vehicles, help clean fuel pollutants released from engines. The devices are made from certain precious metals. They’re often targeted by thieves who can remove them quickly from vehicles with high-ground clearance.

Baraz said a thief with a hand-held saw can cut one out in no time.

Sonoma Police don’t have any suspect information at this time. But Baraz said thieves get out of town quickly.

While scrap dealers are paying $300 or more for catalytic converters, it can cost victims $1,800 or more to replace it depending on how much damage the thief did.

The Valley and the county experienced a rash of catalytic converter thefts in early 2015 when about 10 were taken locally – while Windsor reported around 30 thefts that same week. There was an earlier string of thefts in 2011 when more than 19 were taken from Valley vehicles.