It is bad enough to be a thief but these crooks have stolen $2,000 worth of parts from cars intended for needy people and veterans.

“Car Santa” Terry Franz, founder of Cars 4 Christmas, assessed the damage Tuesday. Catalytic converters worth $100 each had been cut out from underneath 20 cars owned by the charity.

The parts were stolen while the donated cars waited to be assessed at A Auto, a tow company lot across the street from the Kansas City Police Department’s South Patrol station on Hickman Mills Drive.

Kansas City police said the robbery happened sometime between Monday night and Tuesday afternoon.

“Somebody had to come in during the night in 20-degree weather, climb under the cars, take out a saw and cut out the catalytic converters,” Franz said.

The 15-year-old charity gives away about 300 cars annually, first on Christmas as part of Cars 4 Christmas, and then for veterans as part a newer program, Cars 4 Heroes.

A wheelchair lift had been scheduled to be installed in one van Wednesday, Franz said. Instead the van will be visiting a muffler shop, and the disabled woman for whom it was meant will have to wait. Franz estimated repairs will reach $3,000, including labor.  Crooks that steal from charities are especially pathetic, I hope these folks get caught and get a good whooping in jail!