HANOVER — The rash of catalytic converter thefts occurring in Upper Valley towns has now spread to Hanover as police reported the first incidence of a catalytic converter theft in the college town from a parked vehicle on the Dartmouth campus on Wednesday night.

Building security campus recorded what appeared to be three males operating a four-door black BMW sedan who stole the catalytic converter from out under a vehicle parked behind the Collis Center on the Dartmouth College campus, according to a news release issued by Hanover police.

Hanover Police Detective Sergeant Nicholas McNutt said the catalytic converter was removed from a “commercial box truck” that was parked behind the student center on Wednesday at about 11:35 p.m.

Although catalytic converter thefts have plagued numerous Upper Valley towns such as Hartford, Lebanon and Claremont  — as they have nationally — this is the first time of a reported catalytic converter theft in Hanover, according to McNutt.

Thieves target catalytic converters, which are installed to reduce environmentally hazardous vehicle exhaust emissions, because they contain valuable metals which can be sold to scrap dealers.

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