Toyota Priuses are a big target for thieves because those pricey precious metals like platinum and rhodium burn more slowly in a Prius, meaning there’s more of them left inside to break off and resell. It’s a quick crime: Snow said thieves can take strip a car of one in less than three minutes. “Unfortunately for the last four to five months, we’ve seen a huge influx of these,” Snow said while showing NBC 7 a vehicle with a stolen catalytic converter. “This is our fifth one today…. We’re probably taking in 15 to 20 a week. It’s big! It’s sad!”