Name: 19 arrested, $750K worth of catalytic converters recovered amid spike in thefts in L.A. County
Brand: ktla.com
SKU: ktla-com-435
Availability: OnlineOnly

critic

19 arrested, $750K worth of catalytic converters recovered amid spike in thefts in L.A. County

preview

Posted: Mar 11, 2021 / 02:26 PM PSTUpdated: Mar 11, 2021 / 02:33 PM PSTThis is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.Nineteen people were arrested and $750,000 worth of catalytic converters were recovered in an operation targeting several locations in Los Angeles on Wednesday, officials said.There’s been a spike in thefts of catalytic converters from cars throughout the region.In the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s jurisdiction alone, reports of catalytic converter thefts skyrocketed 400% in 2020 compared to the year before, according to the agency.Thieves target the vehicle exhaust emission control device because it contains precious metals and can be scrapped for quick profit, sheriff’s Sgt. Keith Greene explained.Certain cars like the first generation Prius and the Ford F-250 have been targeted more than others in L.A. County, likely because their catalytic converters are known to contain more precious metal, Greene said. Larger cars also tend to be a target because they usually have larger catalytic converters.The sergeant is in the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Crime Impact team, which led Wednesday’s search warrant operation with help from other stations.Warrants were served at four different locations in the city of L.A. that were tied to catalytic converter thefts&nbsp;in the Santa Clarita Valley and other county areas.Deputies recovered 250 catalytic converters, together valued at around $750,000, in addition to one “ghost” handgun and about $100,000, according to the Sheriff’s Department.The investigation is ongoing and there are suspects still outstanding.Catalytic converter thieves usually use saws to get the devices from the cars, and it makes a loud noise, so it’s easy to spot, according to Greene.“The only way we can really combat this is with help from citizens,” Greene said, urging residents to report it if they notice someone’s converter being stolen.Anyone with information is asked to contact the Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Station at 661-255-1121.&nbsp;Those who wish to submit an anonymous tips can call LA Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.Here are some tips from the Sheriff’s Department on how to protect from having your vehicle’s catalytic converter stolen:Suggest a CorrectionThanks for signing up!Watch for us in your inbox.Subscribe Now✕× Close Ad

Posted: Mar 11, 2021 / 02:26 PM PSTUpdated: Mar 11, 2021 / 02:33 PM PSTThis is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.Nineteen people were arrested and $750,000 worth of catalytic converters were recovered in an operation targeting several locations in Los Angeles on Wednesday, officials said.There’s been a spike in thefts of catalytic converters from cars throughout the region.In the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s jurisdiction alone, reports of catalytic converter thefts...

public

@KTLA digital news producer. Multimedia & VR Journalist. M.S. in Journalism from @USCAnnenberg and @AUDubai alumna.

Nouran Salahieh

KTLA has been keeping Southern California informed since 1947. Have great video, photos or story tips? Share with us using #ktla.

ktla.com

Credible

Speculation

Anecdotal Evidence

Generalization

Stacking the Deck

Appeal to Authority

Straw Man

Slippery Slope

Emotional Appeal

Red Herring

False Dilemma

Illogical

Moral Equivalency

Ad Hominem

Correlation w/o Causation

Semantics

Begging the Question

Faulty Analogy

Non Sequitur

Bandwagon

Dogmatism

Failing Occam's Razor

Biased

Pure Opinion

Hit Piece

Racial Bias

National Bias

Religious Bias

Financial Incentive

Political Agenda

Gender Bias

Misused Image/Video

Study Misinterpreted

Mistake

Misused Term

Science Misrepresented

Factual Error

Satire

Surface Level

Lack of Reliable Sources

Sensational

Not Credible

Investigative

Balanced

Well Sourced

Great Context

sports

entertainment

U.S.

international

business

technology

science

culture

politics

media

health

19 arrested, $750K worth of catalytic converters recovered amid spike in thefts in L.A. County

No article scores yet.

CRITIC REVIEWS

PUBLIC REVIEWS