Crime & Safety
Catalytic Converter Theives Target Warwick Lawn Care Company
TruGreen Lawn Care had 22 catalytic converters stolen over the weekend, police said.
WARWICK, RI — Catalytic converter thefts are on the rise, and police say a Warwick landscaping company was targeted over the weekend.
TruGreen Lawn Care reported Monday that catalytic converters were stolen from 11 of their vehicles. The vehicles were parked at the company's Access Road lot. A total of 22 catalytic converters were stolen.
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Catalytic converters are valuable because they contain metals like rhodium, palladium, and platinum. A thief armed with a saw can slide under a car or truck and easily remove the exhaust element. There's big money in the illegal trade, and some car owners are even having rebar welded over their exhaust systems.
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