Spree of catalytic converter thefts in region, Olympia police say
Prius owners beware: There’s been a recent uptick in thefts of the cars’ catalytic converters, which reduce pollutants in exhaust gas, according to local law enforcement agencies.
Victor Champlin, manager at Quality Muffler & Brake in Olympia, which specializes in exhaust work, confirmed the parts are targeted for the valuable precious metals they contain.
In a phone call with The Olympian Thursday, Champlin said he had encountered five cases of Priuses with stolen catalytic converters in the past week. On a Prius, Champlin estimated the parts could be worth about $800.
Victims of the theft can expect to pay nearly $1,000 for replacement, according to both Champlin and Ty Weatherbie, service adviser with Gary’s Olympia Auto Services.
Weatherbie said Gary’s has seen one case in the last couple weeks.
“Whoever stole it more than likely jacked the car up, got under there with an electric Sawzall and cut the exhaust pipe off,” he said in a phone call with The Olympian Thursday.
Thefts in Olympia have mostly occurred on the city’s east side, overnight, said Olympia Police Lt. Paul Lower. The agency tallied four of the cases last week, and two had been reported this week as of Thursday. Lower said King County agencies are also experiencing an increase.
Lacey had seen two of the thefts in the past week as of Thursday, according to Sgt. Shannon Barnes: one on the north side of Lacey, one on the south side.
The Olympia thefts have been targeting cars parked in driveways and on the street, Lower said, while Barnes mentioned parking lots outside multifamily housing complexes as the site of at least one of the recent Lacey thefts.
While one Olympia theft was off a pickup, Lower said most targeted Priuses.
Thurston County Sheriff’s Office has seen just one catalytic converter theft this month, off a pickup, according to Sgt. Cameron Simper. It was the only such theft reported to the Sheriff’s Office in the past six months, Simper wrote in a text message.
People who are out at night and see something suspicious should call 911 to report it, Lower said.
This story was originally published October 22, 2020 at 5:45 AM.
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