NORTH Vancouver RCMP on Tuesday advised the public of an increase in catalytic converter thefts. In the District of North Vancouver – specifically the neighbourhoods that encompass the areas east of the Seymour River – there has been a dramatic increase in catalytic converter thefts.
In an effort to further their investigation, North Vancouver RCMP are appealing to anyone in the Seymour neighbourhood that may have recorded video surveillance of any cat burglars to contact police immediately.
“As is often the case, our biggest investigational asset are vigilant community members,” said Constbale Mansoor Sahak. “Surveillance footage is an immensely helpful resource that we lean on for identifying suspects and the patterns that can lead to an arrest. If a thief knows they’re being recorded and the whole neighbourhood is on the lookout, they’ll be more likely to change their plans.”
Police note that as the name suggests, a catalytic converter converts many of a vehicle’s more harmful exhaust pollutants into less harmful emissions. The appeal of stealing one is less about resale value and more likely committed with the intention of selling it to a recycling facility for the small amount of valuable metal it contains. A new catalytic converter costs between $100 and $200, but having one professionally installed could cost hundreds of dollars more.
“With the right tools and technical knowledge, a catalytic converter can be removed quickly – 30 seconds flat in some cases,” pointed out Sahak. “However, this is a noisy process. If you find yourself waking to the sound of power tools at an ungodly hour and spot a suspicious person underneath a car, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.”
Here are a few tips you can follow to prevent theft of your catalytic converter:
– Park in your home garage, if possible
– Use motion sensing exterior house lights if you park in your driveway
– Park in a well-lit area
– Keep a watchful eye in your neighbourhood and report anything that seems suspicious
Anyone who thinks they may have witnessed, have surveillance footage or information about these catalytic converter thefts are asked to call the North Vancouver RCMP at (604)-985-1311, or Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, online or via mobile phone app. Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers will pay a reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to the arrest of a criminal or recovery of stolen property.
