An auto repair shop in Rockland is the latest target in a growing number of catalytic converter thefts across Hudson Valley.

Surveillance footage from Phil Maher’s towing and repair shop on Route 304 in Bardonia show a group of thieves pulling up to his roadside assistance van and stealing the catalytic converter on the morning of Jan 5.

"On this particular model, because it's a Nissan, this kind of vehicle has a very expensive catalytic converter. It’s almost $6,000 to replace it new,” said Maher. "They're very brazen, they don't care. We have them on video, and it didn't matter to them."

Catalytic converter replacements are usually covered by insurance, which take around six to eight weeks to deliver. However, vehicle owners throughout the Hudson Valley have become increasingly concerned with the crime, and local authorities say they are working hard to prevent future thefts.

"Catalytic converters have three different precious metals. They're extremely valuable. There's platinum, there's palladium and there's rhodium. I think rhodium may be more valuable than gold per ounce,” said John Mueller, the former commissioner of the Yonkers Police Department.