Photo/Illutration An older model of the Toyota Prius from 2003 (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

CHIBA—Car thieves have been on a spree in Chiba Prefecture targeting older models of the Toyota Prius, but they are not driving off with the whole vehicle.

They are swiping the mufflers.

Prefectural police believe the thieves are after the rare metals contained in catalytic converters, a component connected to the muffler.

According to police, there were 133 cases in which thieves stole mufflers or catalytic converters from January to November this year, with 80 percent of them taking place in the last two months and involving the Prius.

Only 12 such cases were reported in 2021.

“We believe that thieves stole the mufflers and catalytic converters quickly by using tools, not by using large equipment that can lift cars,” an investigative source said.

Cars can still be driven without a muffler, but drivers will typically notice when the muffler has been removed because their car will become incredibly loud.

The catalytic converters, which turn harmful substances in exhaust into pollution that is less toxic, are valuable because they are packed with palladium and platinum. And the metals do not deteriorate as much in hybrid vehicles like the Prius.

But newer models of the Prius made over the past decade use less palladium, thanks to technical design improvements, according to Toyota Motor Corp. officials.

The auto parts were not coveted by criminals until recently.

The price for palladium shot up this year after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Its price per gram at BullionVault Ltd., Britain’s major metal trader, was 8,701 yen ($63) on Feb. 1. That would soon rise to 12,305 yen by March 7.

According to the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, Russia produces around 40 percent of the world’s supply of palladium.

It has been in short supply recently.

The Asahi Shimbun found catalytic converters from old Prius models on an online auction site going for around 200,000 yen a pop.

Takeshi Arisawa, a 45-year-old shop assistant at a branch of the major car parts retailer Super Autobacs in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, said the crooks have clearly done their research.

“Removing a muffler is hard because it’s fixed tightly to a car with nuts and bolts,” Arisawa said. “I don’t believe that non-experts know how to remove it.”

He suggested car owners could try to prevent muffler theft by installing an alarm outfitted with a vibration sensor. Those usually cost to the tune of 40,000 to 50,000 yen.

Installing a dash cam that can record in all directions may also help, he said. That would cost in the range of 30,000 to 60,000 yen.

A prefectural police official said since there is no measure specifically designed to prevent muffler theft, people should take the same measures they would to prevent their whole car from being stolen.

“We would like car owners to take measures such as installing security cameras, lockable gates or sensor lights at home,” the official said.

(This article was written by Yuta Torio and Sakiko Kondo.)

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