Reno Police Investigate Catalytic Converter Thefts

In the past six weeks someone’s been stealing exhaust systems from cars parked at businesses around Reno.

Lt. William Rulla, says investigtors targeted the thieves by watching their favorite victim vehicles: Toyota Sequoias and Dodges Dakotas. Officers say they watched the suspects arrive at a crime scene. 

“We have probably had 30 catalytic converters stolen, reported to us in the Reno Area,” Rullla says. "A group of people come out, one of them crawls they realize they have just stolen a catalytic converter, they get back in their car and drive off. As we try to get marked units in the area they go towards another car and that is when they were detained and arrested.”

If the thieves sound fast, well they are.

“They can get in and out within a minute,” Rulla says. In that minute thieves can steal a catalytic converter worth $2,500 dollars. The repair can cost the owner up to $4,000.

Rulla says Reno Police are trying to determine if this is an organized ring. Last year a group stealing catalytic converters in Reno was caught in Sacramento. The group arrest ed this week had arrest records for catalytic converter thefts in Stockton.

“They come in almost to do their business and then go back to where they came from. Most of these guys are from the bay area and so we assume they go back over the hill.”