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A Livermore resident whose catalytic converter was stolen back in May had it returned last month after the Alameda County Regional Auto Theft Taskforce (ACRATT) recovered it during a bust of a catalytic converter fencing operation.
Livermore police shared the news in a post on social media, highlighting the fact that the victim’s catalytic converter had been etched with the department’s logo and the vehicle’s license plate prior to being stolen, making it easy for police to track down the owner when it was found among 240 stolen catalytic converters at two locations in Oakland along with a stolen vehicle, stolen firearms and $260,000 in cash. Six people were arrested in connection with the operation.
The Livermore victim had attended one of LPD’s catalytic converter “Etch and Catch” events at Las Positas College. “This is a perfect example of how etching a catalytic converter can be helpful in the investigation and prosecution of catalytic converter thieves,” LPD said in its post.
ACRATT is a multi-agency task force which consists of the California Highway Patrol, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, Oakland Police Department, and the Alameda County Probation Department. Additional departments that assisted with this operation were the CHP Golden Gate Division Investigative Services Unit, CHP Computer Crimes Investigation Unit, Alameda Police Department, Dublin Police Department and the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
After ACRATT contacted LPD, the department was able to search its catalytic converter event records and provide the most up-to-date contact information for the victim whose device was etched. The original theft report was also taken by LPD, which they were able to provide along with other information to support investigative efforts.
“DMV records do not hold phone information and often the addresses and other important information can be out of date, which most people don’t realize. Having our own record database assists in contacting the rightful owners,” said LPD public information officer Azenith Smith in an email to Livermore Vine.
While having an etched catalytic converter alone may not deter a thief from taking it — such as in this case — there are other factors that make etching a helpful effort.
In general, if a stolen catalytic converter is recovered intact and in a timely manner, it can sometimes be repaired by welding it back into place. Additionally, etching the converter can alert scrap dealers that the catalytic converter may be stolen.
For investigative purposes, a catalytic converter being etched could also help with charging and prosecuting the suspect(s) if there’s a victim attached to it.
Under the California Penal Code, there are two different crimes associated with this type of recovery, Smith said. There is “Suspected Stolen Property” which is when the burden falls on the investigating officer or agency to prove the item(s) are stolen as it is not illegal to merely possess catalytic converters. However, most catalytic converters aren’t serialized or traceable, making theft difficult and sometimes impossible to track.
Smith also noted that catalytic converter thefts often span vast areas and timeframes of victimization. Matching the license plate from an etched device to a database with contact information to reach the rightful owner can be significant in investigating the second general crime type, “Recovered Stolen Property.” Upon identifying a catalytic converter’s owner, police can ask if they gave the subject(s) permission to take/possess it. If they did not, then police have confirmed stolen property that the subject is in possession of.
LPD and Las Positas College’s Automotive Technology Department plan to host another etching event in the fall, according to the department’s social media post. However, there are additional measures vehicle owners can take for extra protection against theft.
* Cages can be welded directly to the catalytic converter to make it harder for thieves.
* Whenever possible, park in well-lit, highly visible locations or in garages with the doors closed.
* Install motion-sensitive lights and alarm systems that have cameras.
* Paint your catalytic converter to deter buyers of stolen devices.
* Talk to your neighbors and watch out for each other’s vehicles.
“We highly recommend adding as many possible layers to make committing the crime less appealing. Most thieves take advantage of crimes of opportunity. Taking away, or adding barriers to those opportunities make them more likely to move on to the next ‘easier’ target,” Smith said.
