Culver City Observer -

Article by David Ganezer

2/17: The theft of a car part called a catalytic converter is an ongoing problem in LA County. All cars sold in California after 1974 are required to have catalytic converters.

When cars are not parked in a secure area, thieves steal the converters, which are designed to clean automobile exhaust.

The main reason that catalytic converters are stolen is because they're valuable to scrap metal dealers, auto experts say. They contain precious metals, including rhodium, platinum, and palladium.

SUVs and trucks are particularly at risk, with late-model Toyotas and som...