Photo: Halton Police
The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) would like to advise residents of an observed spike in catalytic converter thefts.
This trend is being observed across North America; however, in Halton there has been a particularly large amount of thefts in Milton and Halton Hills. Between March 1st and April 12th, 29 catalytic converters were stolen in North Halton.
A significant portion of these thefts are occurring on weekends and almost all of them occur overnight. Thieves are targeting vehicles parked in quiet industrial lots and large apartment buildings; however, these thefts can occur anywhere.
It can take a thief as little as 60 seconds to remove a vehicle’s catalytic converter.
The precious metals inside a catalytic converter unit have significantly increased in value likely contributing to surge in thefts.
HRPS officers are conducting targeted patrols in industrial areas, self-storage units and parking lots throughout the region. Residents are urged to take extra precautions and report any suspicious activity to police.
Police recommend taking the following steps (if possible):
- Vehicles should be parked in locked, well-lit areas
- Parking vehicles in a way that makes it harder to access their underside, for example, against a wall or by other vehicles
- Vehicle alarms and CCTV cameras can also act as a deterrent to thieves
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact the 1 District Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4777 ext. 2416.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. “See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
