Evanston police use spray paint to mark catalytic converters to stop catalytic converter theft

There’s been a surge in catalytic convertor thefts across the Chicago area, and nationwide.

EVANSTON, Ill. - What if your catalytic converter is stolen off your car? The cost to replace a stolen catalytic converter can be up to $2,500.

On Sunday, Evanston police did what they could to try to prevent catalytic converters from being stolen from cars. Thieves can get hundreds for them from scrap dealers.

New video shows just how quickly thieves can take off with your catalytic converter.

Police spray-painted the converters on a couple hundred cars, making them less valuable to thieves.

"This is our way to get our community involved and help them be more aware of what's going on," said Evanston police officer Enjoli Daley.

The spray paint is not visible unless someone is directly underneath the car, and does not impact the value of the vehicle.

Evanston police limited the marking to the cars most commonly targeted for catalytic converter theft: