Northwest Tire, Tires Plus, Westlie Ford, The Muffler Shop and Minot Automotive Center, all Minot, have agreed to place a heat resistant spray paint and/or engrave a license plate number onto a catalytic converter free of charge when a vehicle is taken to one of the shops for service, according to the Ward County Sheriff’s Office. If a catalytic converter is stolen, the markings will help alert scrap purchasers and law enforcement that the item may have been stolen.

There has been an increase in thefts of catalytic converters in the area, according to the sheriff’s office. As of this year, 10 catalytic converters have been reported stolen and a number of other thefts have likely gone unreported.

People who have information about the thefts are asked to contact the Ward County Sheriff’s Office or send the office an anonymous tip via Tip411 by texting 847411, keyword NDWARD and the tip to help stop these thefts.