The theft of catalytic converters has risen and is predicted to continue to rise, due to tough economic times and the part's precious metal content: all it takes is something strong enough to saw through metal and a whole lot of desperation.

The catalytic converter converts harmful contaminants in an exhaust system to less harmful emissions, and the part has become more sophisticated to keep up with continuing environmental legislation. It's much more than just a pipe with a few sensors inside.

The catalytic converter also contains precious metals like platinum, palladium and rhodium; however, the average converter only contains 1 to 2 grams of these metals, according to the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. (ISRI).

This is one of those situations where what could potentially lead to more sales of an item is at the expense of a victim, so manufacturers we contacted were hesitant to comment on this crime. Yes, it's bad, they all agree. But that's where most left it. Any further comment could be construed as an endorsement, some believe.

On more than one occasion, some hapless motorist has stepped into the new family car, only to hear the jet engine roar of a damaged exhaust system. A converter can go for a few hundred bucks to a metal recycler, although the repairs for the driver can easily top $1,000.

The price of an ounce of platinum was $1,562 on London's benchmark market Jan. 11, states USA Today. That is up $100 from a month earlier, and more than $400 over the price a year ago.

Many of the news reports on this issue are datelined in Michigan, along with plenty of other regions in the Midwest, as well as bigger cities, but catalytic converter theft is not yet widespread to the point of alarm, says Gautam Pathak, Corsa's VP of product and business development.

Along with frustrated motorists, this issue significantly affects metal recyclers, many of whom can be held responsible if they purchase stolen metals without doing due diligence and checking customer backgrounds.

"It is a tremendous problem to the automotive recycling industry because as we compete more and more in the aftermarket, every bit of value we can extract from our salvaged vehicle is important," says Sandy Blalock, president of the Automotive Recyclers Association (ARA). It's also a serious problem for the automotive industry at large, she adds.

Toyota trucks and SUVs are the most targeted vehicles for catalytic converter theft, according to news and association reports. These converters are easy to reach due to the way they're bolted underneath the vehicle.

Some converters are also sold to local parts stores, so for those who sell used and salvaged parts, it might be a good idea to "red flag" cat-converters that come in from the street, or to check with local police departments and have a clerk thumb through some recent incident reports to make sure you're not dealing with stolen goods.

It's more likely that stolen catalytic converters are sold for metal rather than re-use, and this is partly due to the complexity of this item.

"A lot of catalytic converters are application-specific these days, some have oxygen sensors built into the body of the converter; you can't just take that and put it into another vehicle," advises Pathak.

Most new V-8's, like those in the Toyota Tundra and Nissan Titan, have multiple catalytic converters, up to four, and they can't be simply removed from one vehicle and installed in another.

And drivers aren't the only people targeted. Thieves have also clobbered car dealerships, auction lots and anywhere else where a number of like vehicles are parked together.

Good news for the industry and bad news for thieves, however: The catalytic converter is getting more difficult to reach in some newer models, adds Pathak.

"As far as catalytic converters, more and more cars are now featuring close-coupled converters," he says. "They're much closer to the engine because that helps them get up to temperature faster."

Recyclers are becoming ever more vigilant of possible thefts of not only the metals found in catalytic converters, but also materials ranging from steel and aluminum to copper, and many stay in touch with local police departments to flag any shady recycling attempts.

"We ask for a person' driver's license," says Bill Ivancic, VP of BlueStar Metal Recycling Co., based in Elyria, Ohio. "We scan this into our computer. We record that into an account. When the ticket prints, the description of the materials are on there, and the amount we paid for it is on there, and it stays in our database."

He says this process of collecting driver's license information has led to the arrests of thieves in the past. If somebody comes into the recycling company with an abundance of new catalytic converters, the company contacts local police departments to find out if there have been any thefts in the area.

Ivancic says there's a network of scrap yards and recyclers that follows metal thefts in various regions. A visit to ISRI's Web site (www.isri.org) reports on a plethora of metal items that are stolen, from fences and tailgates to giant magnets from MRI machines. The Web site collects alerts and issues bulletins regarding the latest illegal incidents.

Pathak says he has heard of muffler tips also being stolen, which can put a driver back a couple of hundred dollars.

The sad thing is, many of those caught stealing these vehicle parts are charged with felonies, so the payoff is not at all worth the risk involved. Whoever believes different is likely just blowing polluted fumes.