NEW BRITAIN -- R&M Recyclers has had catalytic converters stolen from more than a dozen cars, said Miro Pryputniewicz, of New Britain.

“We have cars that have been sitting in the yard, and they find a way to jack them up in the middle of the night, take it and take off,” he said.

Converters contain precious metals that control a car’s emissions, he said.

For thieves, the platinum, titanium and gold found inside can bring in big money when they're sold to scrap-metal dealers.

To get them out, thieves use a tool that’s similar to an electric screwdriver, said Pryputniewicz. It takes only minutes to remove a converter from underneath a car, he said.

At Grandy Motors, next door to R&M, police said eight foreign cars were hit in one night. One employee lost two converters from his Mercedes, police said.

Each time a used converter is taken, it costs these businesses about $150, authorities said. They said they're ready for the thefts to end.