Wave Of Catalytic Converter Thefts Continues In Essex County: PD

NUTLEY, NJ — A wave of catalytic converter thefts continues in Essex County, police say.

Last month, Nutley police warned residents that catalytic converter thefts around the state have risen due to the “high scrap value” of the car parts. Since that time, several such thefts have continued to be reported in the township.

The latest incidents include:

• Feb. 20 – (River Road) “Officers responded to the area regarding a report of a stolen motor vehicle. Upon arrival, the victim stated to police that they parked their Ford F250 in a visitor spot, locked the vehicle, and had the vehicle keys in their possession. Upon returning to their vehicle, it was no longer in the spot. On Feb. 25, police recovered the vehicle in Newark, and found the catalytic converter had been removed. Police are investigating.”
• Feb. 22 – (Hillside Avenue) Response was made to the area regarding the theft of catalytic converters from several buses on property. Upon arrival, the transportation director of the company notified officers that when the buses were started this morning, they were very loud. It was then found that the catalytic converters were removed from six of their vehicles between Feb. 19 and Feb. 22. The value of the converters was unknown at the time of the report. The detective bureau was advised and responded to the location to process the scene.”

Another catalytic converter theft was reported in Nutley on Feb. 17.

Officers were dispatched to River Road after receiving a report about a theft. The victim stated that when they turned their vehicle on, they heard a "loud noise." Upon checking, it was found that the catalytic converter had been removed from the vehicle, police said.

• See related article: Catalytic Converter Stolen In Nutley, Police Say

Other recent catalytic converter thefts have taken place in Essex County, including a pair of incidents in Bloomfield reported in January, and a theft in Montclair on Feb. 17.

• See related article: 2 Catalytic Converters Stolen On Davey Street In Bloomfield
• See related article: Catalytic Convertor Stolen From Parked Car In Montclair

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