PITTSBURG, Texas (KLTV) – It started as a theft of a catalytic converter and led authorities to a enterprise the place as many as two dozen converters had been piled up, they usually consider they had been stolen. Authorities say catalytic converter theft is on the rise.

They’re required on motor automobiles to move admissions exams, they usually just about all have them: catalytic converters. They’ve grow to be expensive since they comprise treasured metals like rhodium, platinum and palladium. That makes them engaging to thieves in keeping with Mount Nice Police Lt. Bryan Denney.

“With any of the catalytic converter thefts, they’re making an attempt to promote them to somebody who’s going to have the ability to entry the valuable metals contained in the catalytic converter,” Denney mentioned.

Based on Pittsburg Police Chief Matthew Lemarr, a converter was reported stolen from a truck parked at a neighborhood enterprise on March 30.

“And clearly that opened an investigation on that one. Patrol obtained some video from one of many native accommodations of a topic carrying a converter about the identical time it got here up lacking,” Lemarr mentioned.

Chief Lemarr says they recognized the suspect and Brett David Perry was arrested on April first, charged with theft. Pittsburg PD relayed data to Mount Nice PD they usually had been in a position to:

“Monitor down the merchandise from their case to one among our native wrecker/automotive outlets,” Denney mentioned.

And investigators say they discovered greater than only one at Rodartes Tire and Brakes in Mt. Nice.

“We had been in a position to get well extra stolen catalytic converters,” Denney mentioned.

Denney says they’re making an attempt to match converters with filed police experiences since there have been:

“A number of thefts, a number of individuals file. Clearly, it’s one thing that you just’re going to note is lacking if you crank your car,” Denney mentioned.

Chief Lemarr says thieves reduce the converters away at evening, and have a tendency to give attention to automobiles which might be out of earshot.

Lt. Denney says they’re working with the Auto Theft Activity Pressure to assist determine probably stolen catalytic converters. He says the components have numbers that may determine what sort of car the converters had been stolen from. The case is underneath investigation.

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