As drivers across the state and nation pay the price for soaring catalytic converter thefts — the latest rendering more than two dozen Greater Hartford Transit buses inoperable — one police department suggests owners mark theirs to discourage thieves from sliding under their cars, sawing them off and selling them to scrap dealers.

Manchester police on Tuesday said vehicle owners should consider labeling their catalytic converters, which use precious metals and chemical reactions to clean exhaust. The value of those metals has gone up, climbing steeply during the coronavirus pandemic, with recyclers shelling out $50 to $250 per converter, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

Claims for converter thefts have shot up as well, rising from 1,300 in 2018 to 3,300 in 2019 and all the way to 14,000 last year, the bureau said. The actual number of thefts is believed to be much higher.

Thieves struck gold at the Greater Hartford Transit District in East Hartford early Sunday, removing 28 catalytic converters from buses used by people with disabilities. The crooks even stole one of the paratransit buses, which turned up in New Britain, Executive Director Vicki Shotland said.

They pulled off the crime despite surveillance cameras and fences that completely surround the building at 148 Roberts St. District staff thinks the thieves were dropped off about 1:30 a.m. on a nearby dirt access road and were able to sneak under a chain-link fence into a lot behind the building, which has more cameras in front than in back, Shotland said.

“There’s no way you could see them,” she said.

The organization is considering ways to beef up security, such as by having someone patrol the property and buying more surveillance cameras.

“We’re going to probably add cameras to the back of the building,” she said. “It’s a huge investment, but probably a worthwhile one.”

Besides the converters, the thieves removed a Drivecam camera from the minibus they stole and probably tossed it, Shotland said. The district will give a $250 reward to whoever finds it and returns it to the Greater Hartford Transit District at One Union Place in Hartford, she said.

Luckily for the people who ride the buses, there was no disruption in service, in part because ridership is down due to COVID-19. The district was able to quickly replace the vital converters, Shotland said, and the cost of repairs was covered by insurance.

Other organizations haven’t been as lucky. In Manchester, 10 converters were stolen from DATCO vehicles, nine of which were school buses, in early March, said Manchester Lt. Ryan Shea. The financial hit was $1,800 a bus.

There also were social media reports of converters being sawed off town-owned vehicles, including senior center vans.

On Tuesday, Shea tweeted a suggestion from the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators to guard against the thefts: Put an identifying mark on your catalytic converter.

The association recommends options that include engraving your vehicle identification or license plate number on the converter and buying a marker kit.

Shield-like devices also can be installed, according to the AAA. Some auto repair shops do such installations or markings.

Shea said the mere presence of a number or a distinctive mark could deter a thief. And if the thief steals the converter, it can help police identify it as stolen if it is recovered.

Other methods of guarding against converter thefts are similar to the ways car owners keep thieves from rummaging through their cars or stealing them: Park in a garage or other secure parking area, set an alarm and if you don’t have either, install a bright, motion-sensing light.

Catalytic converter thefts are only covered for those who have comprehensive insurance, and Connecticut doesn’t require such coverage, said Amy Parmenter, spokeswoman for AAA Greater Hartford.

Sonia Medina, spokeswoman for AAA Insurance, said, “Catalytic converter thefts are a growing problem no doubt. It is critical that vehicle owners have adequate insurance to cover the loss, which may otherwise cost the uninsured thousands of dollars.”