Catalytic Converter Thefts a Growing Problem in Texas, Across the US
by CAMERON LANGFORD It’s a crime as simple as it is brazen. In the dead of night at dealerships, and lunch time in crowded parking lots, thieves are sawing off parts of vehicle exhaust systems because of the value of precious metals inside. Houston Police Sgt. Tracy Hicks gives tips on how to prevent thefts of catalytic converters. (YouTube screenshot) (CN) — David Castillo, 46, of Houston, usually parks his 2006 Honda CRV at his apartment complex. But he parked it on the street one night in April because his daughter’s friend stayed over. “So she parked in our spot,” he said. The next day, after he got off work, he turned the key in the ignition and instantly knew something was wrong. “When I started it ‘waaaaah.’ It was loud. I said, ‘Oh shit.’ I turned it off, looked under the hood, and I looked under the car and I saw they had cut it off,” he said. Catalytic converters reduce emissions — nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon. While vehicles can still run, loudly, without
