The theft of catalytic converters from cars has been growing over the past few years. The converters, part of the emissions control system, are coated with a variety of rare and precious metals to convert unburned hydrocarbons in exhaust into carbon dioxide and water.

Thieves found that with a little practice and an electric saw they can slide under a car, take out the converter and be gone in a couple of minutes. They can sell the converters to salvage shops and recyclers for a few hundred dollars.

They also leave the car owner with a very expensive repair bill. It can cost around $1,500 to replace a converter.

A couple of converter thieves in St. Paul last weekend left one car owner with more than a big bill. When the car owner interrupted them and chased them in a car, they shot him. The man suffered wounds to the arm and chest, but is expected to survive.

The state needs to make it harder to profit from this crime. Converters should all have ID numbers on them so they can be connected to thefts when police find someone with a trunk full. Possession of a converter that’s not on a car should be illegal. Salvage shops should be required to get copies of IDs and photos of those trying to sell them.

This should be a statewide effort — catalytic converters are being stolen out in Greater Minnesota, too. Blue Earth County arrested a pair of suspects a week or so ago. The state legislature needs to make it impossible to make a quick buck off of stealing catalytic converters.