A long-operating catalytic converter team swept through Lakeview again Friday morning. And, once again, they got away before police could catch up with them.
The thieves, who get around in a black Dodge Challenger with black rims, black tinted windows, and White Sox plates, struck on the 900 block of West Oakdale shortly after 9 a.m.; on the 2900 block of North Lakewood around the same time; and again on the 3800 block of North Paulina around 9:55 a.m.
Multiple witnesses reported seeing two men sawing parts off of cars while wearing ski masks, but the team managed to slip away before police arrived.
The same men are believed to have struck across the North Side repeatedly in recent weeks.
On Dec. 19, witnesses saw two men in a black Dodge Challenger sawing off car parts on the 3700 block of North Fremont around 3:30 a.m. But, again, the men got away before police could catch up with them.
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Detectives later released a community alert connecting the Fremont theft team to catalytic converter thefts on the 3700 block of North Wayne at 5:35 a.m. on Dec. 19 and on the 3100 block of North Honore at 3:36 p.m. on Nov. 28.
Catalytic converter thieves saw the devices from under vehicles and then sell them for $100 to $200 each at scrapyards. The parts are especially valuable because they contain expensive metals.
