One man was arrested in connection with a catalytic converter theft following a traffic stop early Friday morning. 
 
Around 2:20 am on Oct. 22, one of our sergeants on patrol near the 7-Eleven, located on the 200 block of North Whisman Road, spotted a vehicle with a two-year expired registration. Our sergeant subsequently conducted a traffic stop for the car, and the driver and two passengers were detained. 
 
During a search of the vehicle, officers found burglary tools, narcotics and drug paraphernalia, and a stolen catalytic converter. 
 
The driver of the car, identified as 25-year-old San Jose resident Efrain Hernandez, was arrested on suspicion of possession of narcotics, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of burglary tools. He was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail. 
 
We wanted to take this time to remind our community about ways to try to prevent your catalytic converters from being stolen. While there is no foolproof system, tactics can be taken to help prevent this type of crime. 
 
Know if your vehicle is a target for catalytic converter thefts – the more rhodium, palladium and platinum your catalytic converter contains, the more valuable it is. You can install an anti-theft device, with prices ranging from a few hundred dollars to several hundred dollars. You can paint your catalytic converter as well to help quickly identify it, and if you would like, you can also purchase an alarm that is designed to be activated when the car is tilted, such as when it's jacked up. Installing a motion-sensitive dash cam can also notify you of a theft in progress or possibly record the license plate of the getaway car.
 
Why are catalytic converters stolen? Thieves are motivated to steal catalytic converters because they contain precious metals that are worth a lot of money. Also, the process of stealing a catalytic converter is often quick and quiet, so you may not even know you have been a victim of a crime until you attempt to turn your vehicle on and hear a loud rattle. 

As always, if you see a crime in-progress, call us at 9-1-1. If you have been the victim of a theft, but there is no crime in progress, call us on our non-emergency line at 650-903-6344.