Anaheim Police Seek Catalytic Converter Thieves: Report

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — Suspects wanted for the theft of a catalytic converter from a vehicle in Anaheim were on the loose Tuesday morning. Earlier this year, the Orange County Sheriff's Department warned residents of the rise in such thefts due to the precious metals inside converters that can be sold or recycled.

It all happens in a matter of seconds. A car pulls up to a home in the dead of night. Someone jumps out of the passenger seat. A few moments later, loud sawing noises can be heard, then silence. The theft of the noise-muffling car parts has been on the rise during the pandemic, from Laguna Beach to San Bernardino.

According to the Laguna Beach police department, the models most often targeted include Toyota Prius, Honda Element, and Ford F250. The Orange County Sheriff's Department agrees that those models are being targeted elsewhere in south Orange County.

Authorities recommend having your vehicle's license plate number etched onto your catalytic converter as one way to protect it from being stolen.

Overnight, police responded about 12:35 a.m. to the 1100 block of South Sunkist Street, where an unknown number of suspects were running from the scene and the converter missing from a vehicle. None were taken into custody.

The Anaheim Police Department's Auto Theft Detail was scheduled to take over the investigation later Tuesday morning.

A news photographer at the scene said the vehicle involved was an older-model Honda SUV, and the video showed the converter missing from the undercarriage of the SUV.

Catalytic converter thefts in Orange and Los Angeles counties have increased in recent months, with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reporting a 400 percent rise in such thefts in 2020.

A sting operation conducted by the LASD resulted in the arrest of 19 people and the recovery of 250 catalytic converters.

"Unless you're awakened by the sound of the sawing, you'll find out your catalytic converter was stolen the minute you start your car," Orange County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Dennis Breckner said in March. "It's loud."

Has your catalytic converter been stolen? Let us know in the comments.