Surveillance photos show thieves stealing catalytic converters from a transportation service in Holtsville.

Gregory Graff, who owns TLC Transportation, says 24 catalytic converters were stolen over Presidents Day weekend.

The company takes seniors to and from their medical appointments.

Graff says five converters were taken Monday evening despite the company having 24-hour surveillance cameras, barbed wire fencing and a security car driving around the parking lot in the evening.

"These criminals are so organized that they somehow can avoid it," Graff says. "They know what to do."

It has also become expensive to order new converters, and Graff has had to cancel clients' appointments because his vans are out of commission.

He says there has been around $60,000 worth of catalytic converters stolen and no ways to insure them.

"It's crushing under the current economy," Graff says. "It could be close to putting a company out of business at some point."

A catalytic converter is part of a car's exhaust system. They contain expensive metals such as platinum, palladium and rhodium.

Palladium is currently worth $2,500 per ounce and is hard to get because the leading country making it is Russia.

Thieves are stealing converters and selling the metals for scrap.

The owners of TLC Transportation chose not to release surveillance video of the incident Monday at the request of Suffolk County police because it's an active investigation. They say it's forced them to invest in a better camera system, lighting and fencing.