Thieves Still Targeting Catalytic Converters

Thieves in Schuylkill County – as they are nationwide – are continuing to target vehicles for their metal-rich catalytic converters.

And several more reports of thefts of this valuable part have been called in to State Police in recent weeks.

This continues a nationwide trend of catalytic converter thefts. There are numerous videos on social media showing some daring robbery attempts as vehicle owners catch the would-be thieves in the act.

WATCH&LISTEN: This is how brazen & how quick lowlife catalytic converter thieves operate. 2:42pm,Jan 20th, midday, middle of neighborhood. Backed into driveway on Century Avenue in Bristol Twp. They’re driving Kia Sportage. If you can identify call police ⁦@FOX29philly⁩ pic.twitter.com/E6y4cDtXDO

— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) January 28, 2022

Schuylkill County Catalytic Converters Continue

Earlier this month, a catalytic converter theft was reported along Barnesville Dr. in Ryan Twp.

According to State Police in Frackville, a Barnesville man reported that someone swiped the catalytic converter from his 1999 Jeep Cherokee. The theft allegedly occurred sometime between 9 p.m. on Jan. 8 and 10 a.m. the following morning.

The victim of this theft told police he left his house to get in his vehicle, parked a short distance from his front door, to go to the store. When he got outside, he noticed the exhaust on his vehicle dangling toward the ground.

The catalytic converter had been cut off the vehicle.

Anyone with information on this incident is being asked to call State Police in Frackville at 570-874-5300.

A few days later, in Cressona, two more catalytic converter thefts were reported.

According to State Police at the Schuylkill Haven barracks, this incident happened between Jan. 11-16.

At Buzz’s Garage on Chestnut St., someone is suspected of cutting the catalytic converter from a pair of vehicles.

Police are still investigating that incident.

These are just the latest incidents, of course. Catalytic converter thefts have been on the rise in the last year and we’ve reported on many of the thefts that’ve been reported to State and local police.

But Schuylkill County isn’t alone in dealing with this problem. It’s happening across the country and around the world.

Image: Depositphotos