We learn from ABC7 News that there has been “a rash” of Toyota Prius battery pack thefts in the San Francisco area, lately.

Apparently, the thieves aren’t deterred by the 150 lb (~70 kg) weight of each pack or the relatively lengthy period of time it takes to extract one – it’s estimated they can get one in around 20 minutes.

Now, batteries are popping up on eBay at around half of the price of a new unit installed by Toyota (around $900 – $1,000 versus $2,500).

You can make the unit harder to steal, and if you’re a Prius driver interested in doing that, you can check out the videos posted after the virtual jump.

For instance, you can replace the 12 mm bolts that hold it down with tamper-proof ones that cannot be undone without a special wrench.

Via TreeHugger, ArsTechnica

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