Montreal police are inviting motorists to register their vehicle’s catalytic converters Thursday as thefts of the anti-pollution devices continue.

A registration site will be in operation from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Canadian Tire outlet at 6000 Henri-Bourassa Blvd. E. near Lacordaire Blvd. in the borough of Montreal North.

Two similar operations were organized by Longueuil police after the number of reported local thefts of the devices skyrocketed.

The converters are highly prized by thieves because of the relative ease with which they can be removed from cars and trucks and the value of the precious metals used in their manufacture. They are, however, expensive for victims to replace.

Motorists will get a unique identification sticker and an ID number engraved onto their catalytic converters with a QR code. The service will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Montreal police say other registration operations may take place in the months to come.

Over the past few months, police have carried out arrests in Quebec and the Atlantic provinces as part of an effort to break converter theft rings.