As the price of metals soars, thieves are targeting part of a vehicle's exhaust system as a way to cash-in. The part is called the catalytic converter and authorities throughout the Valley are seeing a rise in the number of them being stolen.

Thursday night, a woman who works at the Valley Mall in Harrisonburg reported that hers was taken. Friday, another woman who also works at the mall reported the same thing.

Then, two additional cases were reported from parking lots belonging to James Madison University.

Police and metal recyclers say thieves can get hundreds of dollars for catalytic converters, which makes it all the more tempting to steal them.

They look to cash in at metal recyclers and salvage yards. Parking lots can be seen as a gold mine to steal the expensive car part.

"I'm sure that the police are aware of it, and they're trying their best, but there's too many places around that's got cars parked out," says Harrisonburg Meineke Shop owner Stan Cockrell.

Cockrell has started moving all the cars his shop is working on into the shop at night. He says the thought of quick cash from a metal makes stealing catalytic converters very tempting.

"When these places are buying the converters with no questions asked, they create a demand for them, and that's when you have a supply and demand situation. That's what we have here," says Cockrell.

However, Pete Hristov, the northern regional manager for Cycle Systems, says it is not that simple at his shop.

"We do the best we can. We follow all the rules and regulations set forth by local, state, law enforcement, the government, and do the best that we can to make sure everything we do buy is legal," says Hristov.

He says anyone bringing in metals including catalytic converters is required to show ID. Still, detecting a stolen one isn't easy, but Hristov says there is one give-away.

"If a converter is stolen off a new vehicle, in a brand new car lot, it hasn't been driven on the road. It should still look, new factory condition," says Hristov.

This is not just a problem in Harrisonburg. In February, Staunton Hyundai had 17 stolen at one time.

Police say if you see anyone underneath a car, report them right away.