PORTAGE, Mich. — Sunday, January 16, someone stole church members' catalytic converter while they were at Sunday service at Radiant Church in Portage.
The thief returned on January 23. Same story: a catalytic converter was stolen during the same service as the week prior.
“It did happen at other churches around the area, around the same time as well. As we’re connected, we’ve heard about these things. It’s a little shocking. I mean I’ve heard about it through friends and things, that park at the park and drives overnight, but for a Sunday morning in broad daylight, that’s fairly brazen I guess,” Executive Pastor Rick Burmeister said.
January 30, however, Portage Public Safety had other plans.
“What we decided to put an officer in an unmarked car the third Sunday in a row, at the same church, and it just so happened the suspect showed up again,” Lieutenant Bryan Mayhew said.
The suspect was arrested. Police say typically, catalytic converters are stolen at night. This pattern provided them a rare opportunity to catch the person trying to steal the car part red-handed.
“The challenges are trying to catch them. They do it so fast. They have the tools with them, they role up, cut the converter off, and they’re gone in a minute or less,” Mayhew said.
It's a familiar problem to Tommy Staggs, known as JD at L&L Recycling in Paw Paw. They've started asking for names and driver's licenses of people trying to sell catalytic converters, which can contain up to a thousand dollars worth of precious metals.
“A thief ain't gonna leave a catalytic converter here with their name and driver's license,” Staggs said.
Staggs says he's had people run out of the parking lot after finding out they'd have to wait 3-5 days for a check, rather than be paid in cash on the spot.
“It protects us from getting burned,” Staggs said.
Local car repair shops say they most commonly see catalytic converters stolen from Honda CRV's. They also say the items available for purchase to prevent the theft of catalytic converters aren't foolproof. At most, they'll slow a thief down.
That's why Portage PD says they're hopeful by catching one suspect, they've caught someone who's been causing this problem throughout the area.
“Just appreciate a lot of good police work by some good officers this weekend,” Mayhew said.
