Posted on 04/02/2022 7:13:19 AM PDT by real saxophonist
Denver police warn of armed lookouts during catalytic converter thefts
By: Blair Miller
Apr 01, 2022
DENVER – Police in Denver said Friday they are seeing a pattern of catalytic converter thieves using armed lookouts while the emissions devices are being stolen and warned people not to engage with the thieves.
Denver police said they made the discovery while trying to find patterns surrounding the string of catalytic converter thefts. The department said there have been around 135 reports of people showing a firearm or pointing one at someone during a catalytic converter theft over the past three years.
But Denver police also said the department was “unaware of anyone being injured when confronted by a ‘lookout.’” However, a homeowner in Jefferson County was shot at while confronting some thieves who were trying to steal his catalytic converter from his car in early March.
Some police departments and auto shops around the metro area will engrave your VIN number onto your catalytic converter or put cages around it – two things that police say can help deter thieves. People can also have the bolts that hold catalytic converters in place welded to further deter thieves.
Thieves often will sell catalytic converters to scrapyards because of the expensive metals contained inside of them, though some scrapyards will not take devices they know are stolen.
“As with any crime in progress, residents are strongly encouraged to avoid engaging with suspects, to call 911, and to be a good witness who can share relevant details with responding police officers,” the department said.
Along with the a$$holes who will drill a hole in your fuel tank to steal the fuel. They will cause thousands in damages to steal $50 in fuel.
Denver. It used to be a nice city until it turned into a Liberal Utopia. (Liberal Utopia = Dystopian Cesspool)
Owners of scrapyards who knowing buy stolen cc’s should have their assists seized and jailed for receiving stolen goods.
> All catalytic converter thieves should be shot on sight.
Yep, horse thieves used to be strung up by posses.
Maybe we should just discontinue using converters period.
What you said.
Denver needs to ban vehicles.
Let the criminals have to take public transportation to terrorize the Public.
Something needs to be done about the buyers of stolen property. Why are they not being challenged to validate the legitimate source of the items they buy? Charge them with buying stolen property.
“People can also have the bolts that hold catalytic converters in place welded to further deter thieves.”
LOL!
Deputies could see license plates, bolt cutters and Sawzall blades inside the car, according to the sheriff’s office.
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4051734/posts
Have heard a law is being proposed in Oregon to deal with those buying them...FWIW
This!
Any converters not attached to a car is most likely stolen. And the scrapyards know it. They are not innocent in this. It’s not like one scrapyard is breaking apart cars it received and takes the converters to a different scrapyard. What other source is there?
Shoot the lookout first.
Bingo. If on your land and muckin’ about with your stuff, shoot first, ask later.
Coppers advising doing nothing (while they sit on fat butts in donut shops — yeah, I meant that to be insulting considering how many coppers stood down while Antifa/BLM thugs destroyed and murdered) is kinda like when they used to tell women to not fight off a rapist — you might get hurt.
Where do they hire this trash?
If I understand the law one cannot use deadly force unless you fear for your life. Therefore you could not shoot the thief underneath the car stealing your stuff.
If they now may have armed lookouts it seems you could claim fear for your life if you confront them. OTOH some Soros DA could charge you for confronting them.
He rushed me with a Sawzall. I was in fear for my life. I defended myself.
This ^ - you might see the thief with a knife and he makes a furtive movement. Then you may have to respond. And then look - see that knife? It’s right at his hand.
You COULD rapidly deflate 4 tires to establish custody ... Oops.
Megan Fox was outright deadly with a sawzall against Frenzy in the first Transformers movie. Them thar things are dangerous!!
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