They’re b-a-a-a-ck!
Area North detectives tonight are warning North Side residents about a rash of catalytic converter thefts over the past two weeks.
Striking mainly between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., the thieves have sawn converters off of at least eleven vehicles since June 30, the alert said. Cops offered no descriptions of the offenders.
Typically, thieves use a battery-operated saw to cut converters from the bottoms of targeted vehicles in quick, but noisy strikes.
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| Approximate locations of eleven reported catalytic converter thefts since June 30. | BatchGeo |
Theft and resale of the pollution control devices—which contain precious metals—is an attractive career path for some Chicagoans. Replacement of the part will cost victims about $1,800. Thieves typically make about $150 per part.
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| A catalytic converter | Orange County Register |
In 2015, cops caught five Traveling Vice Lord gang members after they bailed out of a crashed minivan that contained 24 stolen catalytic converters near Addison and Lincoln.
Infamously, prosecutors charged each of the men with one count of theft of lost or mislaid property.
Anyone with information about the latest thefts is asked to call detectives at 312-744-8263.
