MONTREAL -- A Dollard-des-Ormeaux woman is warning other motorists in the area after thieves made off with an essential and expensive part of her car.
Mahitab El Sakka watched her car like a hawk after the catalytic converter was stolen from her father's car over the weekend but hers disappeared anyway the day after, coming at a bad time for the single mom starting a new job and whose insurance won't cover the theft.
"It's frustrating," said El Sakka in an interview with CJAD 800.
"We cannot afford $5000, me and him."
Both cars - Honda Elements - were parked in the outdoor parking lot at her DDO apartment building, with no lighting or surveillance cameras. El Sakka said she feels bad because her father was visiting at the time.
"I had no other place to park my car. What can I do?" said El Sakka.
Host of the CJAD 800 Car Show Lisa Christensen said the converter reduces polluting emissions.
"We're talking about serious money - some catalytic converters are over $1000, some are close to $2000," said Christensen.
"It makes less noise than you would think and it really is quick and easy to zip one off of those."
The converters can command a good price as scrap metal.
"We're talking about palladium, we're talking about rhodium - these are all expensive little metals," said Christensen.
Cars that are higher off the ground like El Sakka's Honda Element are easy targets so some precautions can be taken.
"Make sure your vehicle is visible at all times, make sure you have a light at your house, don't leave your car unattended for days at a time," said Christensen.
Police in Longueuil made an arrest last summer in connection with thefts of catalytic converters on the South Shore with the accused facing 60 charges.
