Readers of the Daily Post’s Police Blotter know that there’s been a jump in catalytic converter thefts in Palo Alto and San Mateo County. Now, three men have been arrested on suspicion of stealing the anti-pollution devices.
San Bruno police say they caught the three men early Saturday morning as they were trying to remove the catalytic converter from the bottom of a parked car.
The three men were seen by a patrol officer about 1:25 a.m. Saturday in the area of Crystal Springs Road and Crestmoor Drive, “tampering with a parked vehicle.”
The officer detained the trio without incident, police said.
The three suspects, police said, were arrested on suspicion of attempted grand theft and criminal conspiracy. Police said the three were a 23-year-old San Francisco man, a 21-year-old San Francisco man and a 19-year-old South San Francisco man.
San Bruno, and San Mateo County and Palo Alto, have experienced a significant increase in catalytic converter thefts over the past few weeks. Such thefts have been going on regionally, and nationally for years.
The converters — designed to make the exhaust pushed through them less toxic — contain three metals (platinum, palladium and rhodium) that can fetch good money from recyclers.
Anyone with information related to this case is urged to contact the San Bruno Police Department at (650) 616-7100 or to email
[email protected]. — Bay City News
I am assuming these morons are stealing for scrap meta to make a quick buck. What its comes down to this just to get a roll of toilet paper?
This type of quick crime has been happening for years during the day & nights. I lost a converter in Hayward, California more than 12 years ago
While serving a bank during the day! Hayward police refused to come out
To file a report because it was considered a low level crime.
Why isn’t the police arresting the junkyard owners who are buying these stolen converters!
My catalytic converter was stolen from my Prius that was parked in my driveway thr night of 5/1. Filed a police report. I live in the Monroe Park neighborhood.
My car which is a Prius got vandalized a few weeks ago. I lost a pair of barstools and a lot of good stuff. The window glass got broken. I made a police report but I haven’t heard Amy news yet. I hope I can find good news sooner. Thanks PD for your great work.