The rise in catalytic converter theft has many automotive shops and technicians trying to come up with different ways on how to prevent it from happening in the first place.

Aside from recommending customers to park in well-lit areas, painting the part orange, or etching the vehicle identification number (VIN) into the part, one shop in Alabama decided to make an anti-theft device. 

Shop owners Dean and Cory Parker of Dean's Auto and Exhaust in Daphine, Ala. said they had customers ask what they could do to prevent catalytic converter theft, according to WPMI TV News.

The device is a rebar cage and costs around $400.

Although still a hefty price, it's better than the cost to replace the converter (which could run up to $1,500 or more). 

Spending a little upfront on an anti-theft device could save you in the long run, Dean Parker said. 

Why are catalytic converters stolen?

Catalytic converters contain precious metals: platinum, palladium, and rhodium. Platinum's current market price is about $1,000 an ounce, palladium is currently about $2,000 per ounce, and rhodium is about $18,600 per ounce.