HERMITAGE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Metro Police is asking for the public’s help identifying catalytic converter thieves who have been targeting Hermitage businesses.

Catalytic converters are part of a vehicle’s smog emissions control system and they are composed of precious metals like platinum, rhodium, and palladium which trade for hundreds if not thousands of dollars an ounce.

“Yeah, a lot of time when we see the price of precious metals go up we see a resurgence in these kinds of thefts. Thieves will get under your car take this from your exhaust system, take it to a scrap metal yard and get $150-$200,” said Metro Police Auto Theft Sergeant Chad Young.

According to investigators, a thief armed with a saw slid under several work trucks and steals multiple catalytic converters on October 5.

One of those businesses is in Hermitage.

“Oh yeah, I’ve watched them on tape. They are bold. Hey, are very bold to start with,” said the business owner who wished to remain anonymous, “They know what they are doing. It eats into your working capital. Insurance doesn’t cover it all. It is a constant interruption into the flow of your business. It shuts down the trucks till you can get the parts. The financial end of this is steep for a small company. These catalytic converters are not cheap. Some cost a couple thousand bucks a piece and then you add the labor into it.”

Sgt. Chad Young said the thieves are most likely selling the devices out of state.

“It’s unknown at this time, but in the past criminals have taken these out of state to sell them,” said Sgt. Young.