Man charged with stealing catalytic converters

Suffolk County police have nabbed a West Babylon man who allegedly cut catalytic converters out of luxury vehicles in order to cash in on their value as scrap.

The vehicle theft section said Robert Elliott, 24, of 98 Centerwood St., used a cordless reciprocating saw to cut the converters from about 10 vehicles parked at railroad stations, shopping centers and hospitals.

The converters, a part of a motor vehicle's exhaust system, contain precious metals like platinum, palladium and rhodium, which are desirable for scrap value, police said. Elliot's target vehicles were expensive sport utility vehicles by Lexus, Toyota and Honda.

He was arrested at his home Thursday at about 6:10 p.m.

Elliott is charged with grand larceny, criminal mischief and possession of burglar's tools. He is scheduled to be arraigned Friday at First District Court in Central Islip.