17 Catalytic Converters Recovered, 3 NYC Men Arrested: Yonkers PD

YONKERS, NY — Police announced over the weekend that a catalytic convertor theft ring operating in Westchester has been disrupted and three New York City men have been arrested.

On Wednesday, shortly after 6 a.m., the Yonkers Police Department was called to the parking garage located in the rear of 80 Alexander Street, on a report of a suspicious vehicle. Officers arriving on the scene spotted two cars next to each other, a 2022 BMW X7 and a 2016 Lexus ES 350, and three men, one outside the Lexus and two occupying the BMW. The Lexus had no license plates attached and the trunk was fully open, police said.

Cops found tools commonly used to remove catalytic converters inside the Lexus, including a hydraulic jack and an electric Sawzall metal-cutting instrument. When police ran the plates they found that the the Lexus was suspended for parking violations and the BMW was reported stolen out of Suffolk County.

All three men were placed into custody pending further investigation.

A search of the BMW found 17 cut catalytic converters in the trunk, that police believe were stolen. Further searches of both vehicles yielded additional cutting tools and accessories, including multiple batteries, metal-sawing blades, bolt cutters and a portable two-way radio.

All three men were then placed under arrest.

"This case is a good example of community and police working together; trust your instincts, if you see something out of the ordinary, give us a call," Commissioner Chris Sapienza said. "In this incident, a report of a suspicious vehicle resulted in the apprehension of three non-residents suspected of stealing multiple catalytic converters, a serious problem in our region, in addition to recovering a stolen vehicle. Thankfully, our Police Officers were once again quick to react and place these bad actors into custody."

Luis Abreu-Martinez, 29, and a resident of Manhattan, was booked on one misdemeanor charge of possession of burglar tools. He was released with a desk appearance ticket.

Frederi Mendez-Guzman, 28, and Justin Cordero, 19, both also residents of Manhattan, were each booked on one felony charge of criminal possession of stolen property 2. They were both arraigned in Yonkers Criminal Court on Wednesday. The case is being prosecuted by the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office.

Yonkers police say that the investigation remains open and ongoing.

In order to charge the defendants with the catalytic converter thefts, the owners of the vehicles must file a complaint. Yonkers police ask that any residents who had their catalytic converters stolen the night of February 28 – March 1 (or days prior) to call the Yonkers Police Department at (914) 377-7900 or send an email to this address. Use Reference Case No. 23028582.