Theft of Catalytic Converters
By Ventura County Sheriff Department — Wednesday, March 4th, 2020
Ventura County Sheriff's Department Between January 22, 2020 and March 2, 2020, the city of Fillmore has seen an increase in thefts of catalytic converters from parked vehicles. Often times, victims of these thefts have left their vehicles parked unoccupied for several hours before realizing their catalytic converter has been stolen. The perpetrator(s) of these thefts typically use mechanical dollies to slide under vehicles and use a wrench or cordless reciprocating saw to remove the catalytic converter from the vehicle. It takes approximately three minutes for the perpetrator(s) to complete this crime. Catalytic converters are targeted by these thieves because they contain metal that can be recycled or sold to scrap yards. The Sheriff’s Office is asking citizens to be aware of these thefts and is encouraging vehicle owners to park their vehicles in well-lit areas, close to business entrances, or inside their garage. The Sheriff’s Office is also asking citizens to report any suspicious activity or subjects tampering with parked vehicles with tools or equipment as mentioned above. Nature of Incident: Theft of Catalytic Converters |