HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- Catalytic converter thieves targeted Tech 4 Troops, a Henrico-based nonprofit group that helps veterans in the Richmond area.
Cameras captured the crime on video.
In the video, you can see two people steal a catalytic converter from a van parked outside Tech 4 Troops last Monday morning.
As a result of the crime, the van can’t be driven till expensive repairs are made.
Mark Casper the president of Tech 4 Troops told Greg McQuade that without transportation the deliveries and pickups are derailed.
The non-profit relies heavily on the van to help veterans in need.
"It is infuriating. It is heartbreaking at the same time. It takes the wind out of your sails. Knowing that someone wants to come in and steal someone else’s hard work," Casper said. "It slows down our support of the veteran community because we can’t go make those pickups to say hey we need more computers to make it happen.”
Catalytic converter thefts have been an issue nationwide for many years.
Thieves cut the converters out of the car's exhaust systems, and then sell them to scrappers.
They are then resold to recycling companies.
The thieves get as little as $50, but the metals inside include rhodium, which is the rarest metal on Earth.
There's only a gram or two of rhodium inside, but an ounce of the silvery metal can top $15,000.
Rhodium is used in converters with palladium and platinum to reduce exhaust gases, but as the rarest metal in the world, it's also valued for jewelry, high-end mirrors, and electrical devices.
If you can help Tech 4 Troops with repairs or a delivery truck temporarily while repairs are being made you can contact Mark Casper at the non-profit. If you know anything about the crime call Crimestoppers at 804-780-1000.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
