Catalytic Converter Crimes: More E-Learning For Troy Schools Revealed

JOLIET ? The Troy School District headquartered in Joliet on Theodore Street remains unsure when it will be able to return students to their respective classrooms and school buildings in light of Monday's early morning catalytic converter thefts from at least 30 of the Troy school buses.

In addition to canceling school and making Monday an e-learning day for children, Troy announced that Tuesday needs to be an E-learning day as well.

"Due to challenges in attempting to restore our transportation services following the vandalism of our bus fleet, the Troy 30-C School District will extend emergency e-learning through Tuesday, February 11, 2025," the school district posted on Facebook.

Since July 1, 2022, former Rockdale School District 84 Superintendent Paul Schrik has served as the Troy School District superintendent.

As for the administrators in charge of transportation and security, the Troy School District website lists Ben Hettel as Troy's executive director of operations and Jeff Bean as the safety and security coordinator.

In August 2022 news story by WJOL, Joliet's news radio station, noted that Bean, a former Woodridge police officer and DARE officer with the Woodridge School District 68, was just hired as Troy's new director of safety and security. Bean will not only check out the school buildings for safety but also where the buses are kept and the IT buildings; there will be no officers stationed at the schools, WJOL reported at the time.

Troy consists of five elementary schools, one intermediate school and one middle school. Roughly 700 faculty and staff serve approximately 4,500 students from preschool through eighth grade in Joliet, Plainfield, Shorewood, and parts of Channahon, according to the district's website.

No arrests have been made by the Joliet Police Department in connection with the crime, which was not reported to the Joliet police as it was happening. School officials only learned of the catalytic convert thefts when the bus drivers arrived on Monday morning in preparation for their regular morning routes.

A very grainy black and white school property surveillance photo of the suspect's getaway vehicle was circulated by Joliet police on Monday afternoon.