MESQUITE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – It could be probably the most prolific crime occurring proper now in North Texas.
Neighborhood social media websites are burning up today with posts about catalytic converter thefts that value folks with excessive insurance coverage deductibles some huge cash.
It is gotten the eye of state lawmakers who’re taking a look at more durable punishments for thieves like those who stole the catalytic converter from John Counts’ truck.
Counts had no thought how costly his lunch could be when he walked right into a Balch Springs restaurant final Monday.
“I come up right here on a regular basis,” he mentioned. “That is my sister’s restaurant and I come up right here for espresso each morning.”
Whereas Counts and different prospects have been sitting round at Peggy’s Nation Cafe, safety cameras captured two folks parking a automobile proper subsequent to his Toyota Tacoma pickup truck proper in entrance of the restaurant.
One of many two walked inside asking if the restaurant offered cigarettes, then went outdoors and opened the door for an additional one who acquired out and slid underneath Rely’s automobile with an influence drill.
They eliminated one of many catalytic converters in lower than a minute, put it of their trunk and drove off.
“After I acquired able to go, I come out and I began my truck up, boy it gave the impression of a bomb,” Counts mentioned.
The safety cameras recorded Counts making an attempt to determine what was fallacious with this truck.
He lastly appeared beneath solely to understand he was the most recent sufferer of against the law that lots of people throughout North Texas can relate to.
“I do not like a liar or a thief and that is what they’re, they’re no good, they have to be caught and severely punished,” he mentioned.
That is what a invoice within the state legislature is designed to do.
A state senator from Houston desires so as to add organized crime expenses to these arrested for catalytic converter thefts and restrict those that can possess them to solely auto restore outlets and salvage yards.
It is in response to a 5,300% improve in catalytic converter theft auto insurance coverage claims in Texas since 2019.
Thieves can promote stolen catalytic converters for a number of hundred {dollars} due to the platinum and different precious valuable metals which are used to make them.
Balch Springs Police advised CBS 11 they’re nonetheless in search of these behind the theft of Counts’ catalytic converter.
It value this 73-year-old retiree $900 out of pocket to get his solely automobile working once more, even with insurance coverage.
“Whether or not I may afford it or not I needed to pay it,” Counts mentioned. “I’ve acquired to have my truck. It did damage me.”
Actually, the one solution to shield your automobile whereas it is out within the open is to spend money on a metal plated protect to cowl your catalytic converter.
They value round $300, however they’ll double the time it takes a thief to do their soiled work.
J.D. Miles
J.D. Miles is an award-winning reporter who has been protecting North Texas for CBS 11 since 1996.
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