Hundreds of catalytic converters stolen in Edmonton, including 55 this week

Sam Alouan's Thursday started with frustration when he noticed an alert from the security system of his auto business.

Shortly after, he watched a video where he saw two people in the yard of the auto retailer. One person had an extension cord attached to a power tool andhalf of their body was under an SUV.

Six catalytic converters were snatched, and two more had been stolen earlier in the week while the vehicles were parked on the street near 115th Avenue and 80thStreet.

"I felt frustrated. A small business struggling with the way it is right now," said Alouan, owner of Discount AutoCredit. "I didn't know what to do."

Catalytic converter thieves target car dealership

5 years ago

Duration 0:43

Owner Sam Alouan describes impact of theft on business.

Alouan has called auto shops for repairs and has been been given estimates of $500 to $1500 for repairs, depending on the vehicle.

"The problem is not only the catalytic converter, it's also the damage that they did," he said."They even cut pipes, brake lights, all that. There's even some cars, I can't even sell them now. They're way over the expenses now."

Targeted by thieves

More than 500 catalytic converters were stolen from Edmonton vehiclesin the last three months of 2019, with another55 this week alone, city police said in a news release Friday.

But four suspected thieves have been caught within the last eight days,police said.

Early Thursday morning, officers responded to atheft-in-progress call in west Edmontonnear 94th Avenue and 152nd Street.

A police dog tracked the suspect to a nearby home at 93rd Avenue and 148th Street, where aman was seen coming out from under a motor home.

The 27-year-oldwasarrested and charged with mischief,possession of B&E tools andpossession of a controlled substance.

• Gone in 2 minutes: Thieves swiping pricey car part
• Thieves in Edmonton targeting Honda CR-V catalytic converters

The arrest came a week after three Edmonton residentswere nabbed afterstealing a catalytic converter in Leduc.

The trio were followed by city police to Leduc, where they were seen cutting off the catalytic converter of a Ford F-350 in a residential neighbourhood.

The three men, aged 55, 37 and32,were stopped on their return toEdmonton and found to also have acatalytic converter belonging to a motorhome.

Police said thieves prefer to targetHonda andHyundai SUVs, Ford E-Series vansand Ford F-Series trucks.

About one-third of all theftshappen overnight involving vehicles parked in commercial or apartmentparking lots, police said.

Converters are part of anexhaust system, convertingpollutantsto less toxic material before they're expelled. They contain small amounts ofvaluable metals such as platinum, palladium and rhodium.