2 Camden Residents Arrested In Catalytic Converter Theft: Gloucester Twp. Police

GLOUCESTER TWP., NJ — Two Camden residents were arrested last week after a bar patron said they had tried to steal from underneath her car, police in Gloucester Township said.

A woman had called police Feb. 9 to Skeeters Pub on Coles Road, where she said she saw her car had been jacked up, and a woman was standing next to it. As the first woman approached, she saw a man coming out from under her car. Both people got into a white SUV and left the area, police said.

The suspects left two tires behind, which police said "they appeared to be using as a ruse to make it look like they were changing a tire."

The woman was able to give police a description of the vehicle and a partial license plate number, as well as what the suspects were wearing. The next day, police were patrolling along Black Horse Pike when an investigator saw a vehicle matching the suspect vehicle from the night before.

Police found "power tools associated with removing catalytic convertors and two tires matching the ones left behind in the parking lot" inside the SUV. They arrested the driver, 36-year-old Megan Stahl, and the passenger, 33-year-old Arnaldo Vazquez. Both live in the 3100 block of River Road in Camden.

Vazquez was charged with criminal attempt (theft). Stahl was charged with criminal attempt (theft) and possession of drug paraphernalia, police said.

"The arrest of these individual is another example of the pro-active law enforcement campaigns targeting thieves, who attempt to prey on hardworking citizens," police said in a Facebook post. "Thieves may think they can continue this criminal activity, but eventually they WILL be located and ARRESTED. The Gloucester Township Police Department will continue to attack criminal activity with new and innovative police strategies, partnerships with local police agencies, and most importantly the partnerships with our community."