(La Porte County, IN) - For thieves, catalytic converters are still like cookies in a cookie jar. This time, four vehicles at one location yesterday had their catalytic converters stolen.

According to the La Porte County Sheriff's Office, the exhaust system components were cut from three trucks and a van on 875 East near Walkerton.

Police say the vehicles were there because they were scheduled to be auctioned off soon. The discovery was made when workers at the auction house were going through the inventory. There is no video of the suspects because the security surveillance system at the auction house was not working at the time of the thefts. 

Catalytic converters nationwide are targeted because they contain precious metals and bring a few hundred dollars apiece when sold for scrap.