Over five years after the incident, police in Darien, Connecticut have made an arrest in the case of a stolen catalytic converter through cooperation with the Yonkers Police Department.
A collaborative investigation
Police arrested 38-year-old Bronx-native Jeraud Anthony on February 12 in connection with the crime which occurred on September 20, 2018. According to police, a report of damage to a resident’s vehicle led to an interstate law enforcement collaboration.
Following an eye-witness account, police learned that a vehicle with a New York license plate had pulled up alongside the victim’s vehicle before one of the occupants got out and cut the catalytic converter out from underneath it. Operating off of this description, a Darien detective reached out to a Westchester County detective for aid. From there, the County informed him that Yonkers Police were already investigating the same suspicious vehicle.
Police in Yonkers informed the Darien detective of a potential location where stolen catalytic converters were frequently sold. At this Bronx recycling center, an employee confirmed that two men occupying the same suspect vehicle visited the facility on the day of the crime. Suspect Jeraud Anthony having even presented his ID for the sale of the catalytic converter as well. Once police identified the suspect, they were able to issue a warrant for his arrest in November of 2018.
However, it was not until last week, over five years after these events, that police finally located and arrested Anthony. He faced arraignment in Stamford Superior Court the day after his capture. He stands accused on the following charges:
- Third-degree larceny
- First-degree criminal mischief
- Tampering with a motor vehicle
Legislating for change
Catalytic converters are prone to theft due to the value of the metals within them like platinum, palladium, and rhodium. According to ABC News, the value of these metals may even reach up to $20,000 per ounce. Thus, this has significantly fueled a rise in catalytic converter theft in the last few years. Their attractiveness to thieves is also compounded by their easily accessible location. Their position in the undercarriage of the vehicles allows for quick and stealthy removal. Therefore, Yonkers has seen a stark increase in their rate of theft–going from zero in 2017 to 344 reported incidents in 2022.
In April of last year, the Yonkers City Council voted in favor of legislation that would more tightly regulate activity relating to catalytic converters in an effort to address the growing problem of catalytic converter theft. The legislation, titled “Catalytic Converter Recordkeeping for purchase, sale and installation: individuals in possession,” requires electronic record keeping related to the sale, purchase, and installation of catalytic converters, which will need to be maintained for a minimum of two years.
The legislation also stipulates that either a valid drivers license or passport will need to be recorded with all such transactions. The records will be accessible to Yonkers Police and Consumer Affairs. Noncompliance results in a class 3 offense for businesses with no previous violations. Yonkers City Council member Anthony Merante also proposed an amendment for the imposition of a fine of $1,000 for every stolen catalytic converter, which he believes will significantly lessen the incentive for potential thieves.
Legislation like this may become a key component in cracking down on this ongoing criminal activity. But for now, traditional police work, even across jurisdictions, is bringing justice to these catalytic converter thieves.
