It's the biggest such theft kind in Janesville history. Deputy police chief Dave Moore says a total of 35 catalytic converters were stolen from two dealerships this week. He says the thieves will likely try to recycle the valuable metals inside, totaling up to $200 per converter. Moore says the loss to the dealerships though, can be much more. "Unfortunately for the dealerships, it's very expensive to replace these, as the replacement cost ranges from $1600 to $2000," explains Moore. "This is a good example of how technology and economic issues change how we do our business," Moore adds. "This is a new type of crime for us to investigate." Janesville police are asking local recyclers to contact them, if they receive new catalytic converters.
