Fairfield Police say reports of catalytic converters being stolen from cars are on the rise and it may have to do with the value of what is inside the car part.

There have been 55 incidents so far this year, according to Fairfield police, with 15 occurring at the Fairfield Metro-North train station.

Police say the incidents seem to occur at parking lots with high concertation of parked vehicles.

A worker from Shufelt's Garage says it's not a simple process to steal catalytic converters and it is likely to happen to vehicles with a higher clearance so it is easier to get underneath the vehicle.

"All it is is just the metal inside the catalytic converter," said David Lawlor, from Shufelt's Garage. "It's not really the catalytic converter anybody wants, it's all going to get recycled and they use the metal to make a new catalytic converter. It's just like precious metals, you know? And cars have to have them, especially because of all the greenhouse gases."

Auto shops say the only way you'll know if yours was stolen is when you turn your car on and it is noisy.

To prevent thefts, Fairfield police say you can install an anti-theft device on your vehicle or park your car in enclosed and secured areas, like in garages. They also say motion sensor security lights are a good idea and if you're directly impacted, call your local police department to file a report.