Regina continues to grapple with spike in catalytic converter theft – Regina | The Canadian News

It is a crime that is becoming all too familiar in Regina with new victims showing up on a weekly basis.

Thieves are stealing catalytic converters from under your vehicles.

The replacement and repair price can be in the thousands of dollars per vehicle.

A catalytic converter converts car exhaust gases into less harmful substances. The interior is made of precious metals and that is what thieves look for.

0:27Video captures blatant daylight catalytic converter theft underway in Surrey

In the last five years, the value of these metals, in particular platinum, palladium and rhodium, has increased significantly.

These thefts generally occur in the middle of the night and are only discovered when the victim starts their car the next day.

Steve Karch is the Park Street Branch Manager for Traction Heavy Duty Parts and explained his recent experience.

“At the beginning of October we arrived and my driver went to start one of the trucks and it sounded louder than normal. We took a look underneath and found that the converter had been cut out. “

Karch said they ran out of trucks that day until the catalytic converters could be replaced. A subsequent police report did not yield any results.

However, Regina police recently filed seven robbery charges against two people who were caught with stolen converters.

The Regina Police Service says it has dealt with several reports of this specific crime in 2021. In a statement, police said they are hopeful the recent charges may deter other potential thieves.

– with Nick Logan files