ON November 28 at approximately 3:50 a.m., New Westminster Police Department officers were called to a parking lot near the 800-block of 6th Avenue after a witness saw what they believed to be someone cutting a catalytic converter off a vehicle.
When officers arrived, witnesses pointed them in the direction the suspect. Officers located the suspect in Moody Park and the suspect then fled from police. After a brief foot chase, the suspect was arrested without incident.
Catalytic converters are part of a vehicle’s exhaust system and are sought by thieves for the precious metals found inside them.
“We’d like to thank the witnesses who played a key role in this suspect being located and arrested,” said Sgt. Justine Thom. “If anyone knows about catalytic converter thefts in the city, please get in touch with NWPD. As the value of the precious metals contained within the catalytic converters continues to increase, so do the number of thefts of these devices.”
The New Westminster Police Department strongly recommends people witnessing a catalytic converter theft in progress to call 9-1-1.