Posted on 04/14/2022 12:16:27 PM PDT by real saxophonist
Man confronts catalytic converter thief, DPD urges others not to
by: Carly Moore
Apr 12, 2022
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (KDVR) – Denver Police told FOX31 that there were 500 reported catalytic converters stolen in the first three months of this year alone. That’s more than five every day.
Denver Police are warning the public that it’s not just a costly nuisance but could be dangerous as well.
Thieves are starting to post an armed lookout to intercept anyone who catches them in the act.
Since March 2019, there have been 135 reported violent confrontations during catalytic converter thefts, or attempted thefts.
Police do not recommend confronting these thieves like a Lakewood man did because if they do have a weapon things could turn violent.
Brian Derry and Sarah Schroeder were driving back from Palisade on Sunday afternoon when they came across a man who was under a car in their neighborhood.
“I was driving. [Brian] was in the passenger seat. He looks over here. He said, ‘stop,’ they’re trying to steal the cat,” said Sarah Schroeder. “So I pull over, stop. He jumps out and runs over.”
Derry being a repo man said he’s used to these confrontations.
Sarah Schroeder quickly snapped photos of the suspect’s car, capturing images of a torn temporary tag on the back of the gold-colored SUV.
“He didn’t get away with anything,” said Brian Derry.
Surveillance video also captured the confrontation. You can see a man grabbing things from the back seat of the SUV and then getting out of sight [presumably to get under the car]. Then you see Derry walk up and the gold SUV drive away.
Luckily, the encounter didn’t turn violent, but Denver Police are getting reports that more of these thieves are carrying weapons and working in teams.
“You never know who’s gonna pull out a weapon, pull out a gun or just go crazy. So it is a concern of mine. He’s a little braver than I am and I don’t recommend confronting them necessarily,” said Schroeder. “You know, he handled it and scared the guy off. But yeah, it is. It can be scary. It can be really scary.”
Brian Derry doesn’t drive this car.
“This is a vehicle that I donated to my neighbor. It’s destined to be artwork up here on the wall behind us,” said Derry. “It is the principle you know, you don’t take property that doesn’t belong to you.”
As a repo man, he is familiar with the tools.
“Basically within two minutes he had backed up here, jack the car up, and then another minute and a half he would have had the converter off. This is generally what they use. This is my saw. It’s a cordless Sawzall. They get underneath there and within a minute they’ve sliced two pipes and it drops out and they’ve gone with it,” Derry said. “It’s very quick and easy money.”
“Something needs to be done because if they’re just going to be able to get away with it, they’re going to keep doing it,” Schroeder said.
They suggest there be a limit on how many converters someone can cash in on each year and the recyclers keep a record.
Now, Denver Police say the best thing to do if you catch someone stealing is to be a good witness, try to remember details, and then report it.
The leftists want the criminals to take whatever they want from you.
In fact, they want you to help them. So whenever someone is stealing your converter, or your car, or the contents of your house, just give it to them. Give them the keys. When they’re done, don’t bother calling the cops but be happy that you were able to do your part in feeding those who have lost in life’s lottery.
< /s>
The buyers of these converters are the problem.
They obviously don’t care who’s bringing them in
So don’t confront them. Wait til they are under the car and then let some air out of the tires...
“Rhodium $17900.00 / ounce”
You think stopping the problem is easy? Rhodium is one of the component metals in the newer CC, it is insanely expensive.
Exactly!
yes it is...
26 years experience here... 😁
I suspect the converters are worth more to the muffler shops who cannot get them legitimately.
“I can get you a new one in six weeks and $500. Or I can get you a used one tomorrow for $150.
I think the amount of rhodium in a converter is worth only a few bucks, despite the high value per oz. There is only a tiny amount per converter.
See my post #27
It doesn’t take much......
It’s a violation of Federal law to install a used catalytic converter.
I worked for GMAC a long time ago, and I have Read thousands of Repo files.
I still have some.
A special shout out to Bunny Ferrari adjustment agent, and the guy with the faulty Speed-O-Meter
Absolutely. Almost every one loose is stolen and EVERYONE knows it.
Denver is a s%&thole. The communist city council is trying to ban ccw in parks and all buildings. They also charge for bags in stores. Given all the “annexation” it is hard to determine where denver starts on the SW side.
It seems if thieves may have armed lookouts, one could confront the thief with a reasonable expectation of “fearing for my life”. Would be interesting to see how that played out in court.
Did not know that, but
Who is going to know?
It was a better country when we hanged horse thieves.
Denver Police make a Keystone cop look like Harry Callahan.
“This doesn’t happen often in the suburban and rural SE USA. Thieves wouldn’t last long.”
A few years back thieves stole the cats off several vans at a rural Baptist church in the SE.
Good one, and true.
If a business does something like that, it only takes a motivated Fed to destroy them.
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