More than 24 people in four states were arrested, charged, and accused of selling stolen converters to an auto-part company based in New Jersey.
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That company would take those stolen items and remove precious metals from the converter - and sell it to a refiner for millions of dollars.
Investigators believe the suspects, who were arrested during a raid in Brazoria, Fort Bend, and Harris counties over the summer, were selling the stolen auto parts to ringleaders in Tulsa, Oklahoma and beyond.
More than a thousand converters were recovered during that August bust.
RELATED: 5 arrested, $4.3 million dollars worth of catalytic converter seized in coordinated raid
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There are ways you may be able to protect your catalytic converter from being stolen and save thousands of dollars it could cost to replace it.
- Paint it with bright color, high-temperature paint
- Cover it with a security device
- Etch or engrave your vehicle identification number on the converter.