Catalytic Converter Thieves Caught In The Act In Toms River: Police

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Two men were arrested Wednesday in connection with catalytic converter thefts after a resident reported seeing a suspicious vehicle in the area right before his was stolen, Toms River police said Thursday.

Ravene W. Johns, 25, and Malik Williams, 21, both of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, have been charged with criminal mischief, receiving stolen property, weapons offenses, criminal attempt, and theft of property, said Jillian Messina, media relations specialist for the Toms River Police Department. Additional charges are pending, she said.

Police were called to Dugan Lane just before 11 p.m. where a resident said the catalytic converter for his SUV had been stolen, Messina said.

The resident also told police about the large white box truck with a loading ramp on the tailgate that had been seen in the area — and was caught on surveillance video, she said.

The truck was last seen heading toward Lakewood, and patrol officers in the area found it and pulled the truck over at New Hampshire Avenue and Church Road, Messina said.

A search warrant was approved and the search of the truck turned up two recently cut catalytic converters, a sawzall, multiple sawzall blades, a handgun with a 30-round magazine and hollow point ammunition, Messina said.

Johns and Williams are being held at the Ocean County Jail in Toms River pending a detention hearing. The incident is under investigation by Detective Joseph Mastronardy.