Wednesday, November 24th 2021, 5:07 pm
There has been a rise in catalytic converter thefts.
According to Oklahoma City police, multiple catalytic converters from three vehicles in motel parking lots were stolen Thursday near Interstate 40 and Meridian Avenue.
Oklahoma City police said this is not a single occurrence, there have been a handful of similar cases throughout the city.
Thieves are motivated to steal catalytic converters because they contain precious metals that can be resold for large amounts of money.
“We had another catalytic converter theft,” said Sgt. Dillion Quirk of the Oklahoma City Police Department. “In the video, it looks as if one had a saw or tool in hand.”
One of the two suspects goes underneath the vehicle and cuts off the catalytic converter before leaving the scene.
Drivers will know if their catalytic converter is taken because the vehicle will make a very loud noise when it starts up.
The Oklahoma Foundation for the Disabled had a similar case last month. They had six catalytic converters stolen from their buses and had to pay $25,000 in repairs and damages.
Quirk said it's hard to prevent thefts because they don't have specific targets, but there are still some things you can do.
“I would advise people to park in a well-lit area,” Quirk said. “That seems to divert some theft, but there’s usually no rhyme or reason—they just want to profit.”
If you would like to identify a suspect or report a theft, please call Crime Stoppers at 405-235-7300.
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