Pair Stripped Nearly 50 Catalytic Converters From Cars: Police

BROOKHAVEN TOWN, NY — A pair of local men stole nearly 50 catalytic converters from cars in Holtsville and Medford last month, Suffolk police said.

Police said Blaise Marckesano, 37, of Shirley and Jonathan Martinez, 31, of Manorville stole 49 catalytic converters, including 39 from a location on Middle Avenue in Holtsville, and 10 from a Long Island Avenue, Medford, location between Feb. 17 and Feb. 28, according to police.

The pair was charged — Marckesano on Wednesday and Martinez on Thursday — with four counts each of first-degree auto stripping, felonies, police said.

Marckesano was additionally charged in the thefts of catalytic converters from locations on Montauk Highway in Mastic and Clinton Street in Center Moriches, according to police. He stole two catalytic converters from a 2019 Chevrolet Express van in Mastic between Feb. 9 and Feb. 10, as well as catalytic converters from work vans in Center Moriches, police said.

He was charged with third-and fourth-degree grand larceny, felonies, and possession of burglars' tools, a misdemeanor, according to police.

Both Marckesano and Martinez were released on their own recognizance and they are due back in court on March 14, according to online court records.

Catalytic converters have rhodium in them. Rhodium was $600 per ounce five years ago. Today it's over $21,000 per ounce, which is 10 times the price of gold. One catalytic converter has about $400 worth of rhodium in it, police say.