Three Baltimore men are facing theft-related charges after being allegedly caught in a car with a stolen license plate and a stolen catalytic converter inside.
The arrest happened early Saturday morning, in the Douglas Park neighborhood, after police say the trio was seen stealing a catalytic converter from a car in the Buckingham neighborhood.
More from an ACPD crime report:
LARCENY FROM AUTO (Significant), 2023-07150061, 200 block of N. Piedmont Pike. At approximately 3:48 a.m. on July 15, police were dispatched to the report of a vehicle tampering. The reporting party advised they had observed three suspects allegedly steal a catalytic converter and flee the scene in a vehicle. A lookout was broadcast and responding officers located the suspect vehicle and conducted a traffic stop in the area of 14th Street S. and S. Monroe Street. The investigation determined the suspect vehicle was displaying a stolen license plate and during a search of the vehicle, burglarious tools and a catalytic converter were recovered. [Suspect 1], 18; [Suspect 2], 21; and [Suspect 3], 20, all of Baltimore, MD, were arrested and charged with Entering a Motor Vehicle, Removal of a Catalytic Converter and Possession of Burglarious Tools.
This year has not had as many reports of catalytic converter thefts among ACPD crime reports as last year, when 172 thefts were reported by early October.
The car part, which reduces toxic vehicle emissions, is a popular target among thieves due to the valuable precious metals inside.
Last year state legislation toughened penalties for catalytic converter thefts in Virginia. Arlington police made several related arrests last year, including a group of alleged thieves from Chicago.