The Lower Saucon Police Department is seeking tips related to a catalytic converter theft which took place earlier this month.
According to a press release issued by the department, surveillance footage captured a silver Honda Accord pulling into the parking lot of Jim Solomon Auto Sales at 3646 Rt. 378 at approximately 7 a.m. on May 15.
The footage captures a man wearing a red hoodie exiting his vehicle and cutting the catalytic converter off a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee parked in the lot. The man then put the converter in the Accord and drove from the area heading southbound on Rt. 378.
Anyone with information which may lead to the identification of the suspect in a recent catalytic converter theft is encouraged to contact the Lower Saucon Police Department.
Individuals with information related to the theft are asked to contact Det. Cpl. Eric Marth at (610) 625-8722 or em****@lo*****************.org. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through the department’s Crimewatch Tipline.
Catalytic converters are exhaust emission control devices used to reduce toxic gas emissions from an engine. They are found on the underside of vehicles, and a seasoned thief can remove one in under two minutes, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Thefts of the devices are on the rise lately. Criminals target catalytic converters for the precious metals they contain, such as platinum, palladium or rhodium.
Thieves who harvest these metals can sell them for anywhere from $20 to $240.
The suspect in a recent catalytic converter theft was captured on footage driving a silver Honda Accord. The theft took place during the morning of May 15 at Jim Solomon Auto Sales at 3646 Rt. 378 in Lower Saucon Township.
Victims of a catalytic converter theft often notice a louder than normal sound generated by their exhaust system.
To help deter catalytic converter thieves, Allstate recommends parking vehicles in well-lit areas close to building entrances or in a garage with the door shut. Welding the catalytic converter to the vehicle’s frame, and engraving the vehicle’s identification number (VIN) on the device can also help prevent a theft.
