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Oct 02, 2023

Catalytic converter thefts are 'nationwide epidemic,' police said

PORT ST. LUCIE — The recent arrests of two South Florida men with what police

PORT ST. LUCIE — The recent arrests of two South Florida men with what police said were 13 stolen catalytic converters — the most the agency has recovered at one time — highlight an ongoing issue that investigators work to combat, police officials said.

Detective Timothy Herring of the Port St. Lucie Police Department, called thefts of catalytic converters, which are part of a vehicle's exhaust system that helps reduce pollutants and harmful gasses in emissions, a "nationwide epidemic."

The converters contain small amounts of precious and expensive metals, such as rhodium, palladium and platinum, investigators have said, and thieves could get perhaps $200 per stolen catalytic converter. A saw typically is used to slice them off, and it requires little time.

"It has become lucrative," said Sgt. John Dellacroce, police spokesperson. "But you're causing thousands of dollars worth of damage to each vehicle."

Police about 12:41 a.m. Monday reported spotting a white Mercedes-Benz sport utility vehicle driving behind a closed business in the 2000 block of Southwest Bayshore Boulevard. Police reported the headlights of the Mercedes were off, and the vehicle later failed to yield the right of way.

Police conducted a traffic stop, and the driver, a 53-year-old Hialeah man, told investigators he was coming from Miami and headed to Miami.

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"The passenger ... was covered in mud and sweating profusely," Herring said.

A portable reciprocating saw was on the back passenger floorboard, and a ski mask on the front passenger floorboard, an arrest affidavit states.

The men were detained after officers noticed apparent catalytic converters under a cover with a hole in it in the back. Investigators ultimately reported finding 13 catalytic converters, eight of which they determined were stolen from vehicles at Massey Pest Services in the 400 block of Southwest Thornhill Drive.

Herring said the converters stolen from Massey were replacements for ones stolen in May. He suspects the stolen converters may have been destined to be sold to an unscrupulous scrapyard in South Florida.

The driver and passenger, a 56-year-old Miami man, requested a lawyer. They were arrested and are being held in the St. Lucie County jail, each on charges including burglary and several counts each of grand theft and criminal mischief.

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Herring wasn't surprised the men, whom he said have been in state prison, came here from South Florida.

"Unfortunately, we're halfway between Orlando and Miami and we have five exits of Interstate 95, two from the Florida turnpike, we're extremely easily accessible," Herring said. "There's copious amounts of construction everywhere in the city."

Dellacroce said so far this year, police have investigated 29 incidents involving 52 stolen catalytic converters. Nine arrests have been made, including the two men Monday. That compares to last year when police investigated 36 incidents with 46 catalytic converters and made four arrests.

The incidents happen typically in the industrial areas of Southwest Biltmore Street and Southwest South Macedo Boulevard, situated south of Prima Vista Boulevard and east of Florida's Turnpike, and in the Northwest Enterprise Drive area in St. Lucie West.

More: Dozens of catalytic converters stolen from vehicles on the Treasure Coast

"Sadly, it's become fairly commonplace throughout Florida," Herring said. "And it just seems that we've been targeted a few different times in the past by different groups of people that we've been able to link to additional suspects."

Herring encouraged people to take extra security measures, such as installing motion detection equipment inside fenced-in areas and cameras, which he said are "absolutely paramount."

He also noted an aftermarket barrier that can be welded on to help safeguard catalytic converters.

"It's about hardening the system, or hardening your property and vehicles," Dellacroce said.

Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on Twitter @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at [email protected]

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