More Than A Dozen Catalytic Converters Stolen In Bridgeport: Police

BRIDGEPORT, CT — More than a dozen catalytic converters were reported stolen Monday from trucks at a UHAUL rental facility at 636 Boston Ave. in Bridgeport, according to police, an incident similar to thefts of catalytic converters from UHAUL trucks in Manchester in October.

In the Bridgeport case, detectives have obtained video surveillance recordings of three suspects who worked in conjunction with one another for over an hour, police said.

"All three criminals are observed travelling to and from the incident location together in a grey Nissan Rogue bearing stolen CT Registration AB 83030," wrote Bridgeport Police Capt. Kevin Gilleran in a statement.

Suspects are stealing catalytic converters from vehicles to sell to recycling centers and unethical muffler shops to earn cash, according to Gilleran. The thefts primarily occur at night, but they have also taken place during the day, as converters can be removed very quickly.

From the Bridgeport police announcement:

Catalytic converters are expensive components of the vehicle’s exhaust system, and vital for a vehicle’s emissions system to work correctly. The theft of a catalytic converter renders the vehicle illegal to operate, as it is illegal to drive a vehicle without a functioning catalytic converter. The repair cost for original equipment manufacturer parts varies by manufacture, size, content, and design. A victim can expect a repair bill to range from $500 to $2000, plus the price of labor and towing.

The community is asked to be on the alert for individuals observed crawling underneath a vehicle who sometimes have a getaway vehicle staged nearby.

Catalytic converter thefts can occur on any type of vehicle, at any time, and at any location. We ask the community to report suspicious activity immediately to your local police. If you can safely obtain information of a crime in progress, please take note of the suspect’s descriptions, vehicle description, license plate number, and direction of travel.

Witnesses should not approach or follow the thieves.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to contact the case officer, Detective Kateema Riettie, at 203-581-5253 or utilize the Bridgeport Police tips line at 203 576-TIPS.