HIGH POINT, N.C. — Criminals targeting catalytic converters - taking just seconds to saw them off.
The city of High Point is dealing with a rash of these crimes with more than 350 cases, this year.
Victor Jones is a High Point City Councilman and a small business owner. He's also a victim of just one of 361 catalytic converter incidents this year.
"It's disgusting," he said.
His surveillance cameras at Royal Limousine in High Point captured the suspect in the middle of the night, but he didn't realize it until one of his drivers noticed something strange the next day.
"I had a driver that was on the job a couple of weeks ago and he said the vehicle was extremely loud," Jones said. "We just serviced it, so I said there's no way there's something wrong with it."
It wasn't long before he got the call from the mechanic telling him the catalytic converter had been cut right out.
"I said, 'Well, let's get one ordered. Let's get another one on there because that’s gotta go back out there this weekend for me to make a living,'" he said.
But the theft isn't just about his living, it's about the drivers he employs, too.
"This isn't a personal car. This is how my guys make a living. I run this company for free. I haven't taken an income for this company I've had for 11 years," Jones said. "I do this to provide jobs for veterans, so you're getting in between me and my company being able to employ veterans here in the community because you needed some quick money rather than getting a job and working."
Jones is the latest victim in a long line of others.
High Point Police said catalytic converter theft has been a problem for decades.
In all of 2020, High Point Police said 73 catalytic converter thefts were reported to the department. Already this year, there have been 361, with still two and a half months to go.
Jones, who also serves on the City of High Point's Public Safety Committee, said more people need to install surveillance cameras to help in the fight.
"More eyes on this is going to help. My officers can only do so much. They can only be patrolling so much. These people know what they're doing. They're sneaky. They're crawling in and out of parking lots," he said.
Police said cameras could help in making a criminal case, but Jones has a word of advice to criminals.
"There's a lot of for-hire signs out there, so there's a lot of easier ways to make money than to sit behind bars because you took my catalytic converter," he said.
High Point Police said catalytic converter theft has always been a problem. Its popularity, the police said, is because of the money paid for the internal metals in the converter.
Certain models of cars seem to be preferred targets over others.
Police said metal plates can be mounted underneath cars to cover the catalytic converter, which can make it more challenging for someone to steal the converter.
Police said video surveillance and documentation help in making a criminal case and getting restitution.