Manteca Police officers caught two would-be catalytic converter thieves red-handed early Sunday morning – before they even got the chance to drop the car they were attempting to steal from.
Officers initially responded after receiving a phone call about a theft in progress. Officers arrived before the suspects were able to remove the catalytic converter from the vehicle. Jose Arciniega, 31, and Vanyouthai Khamavone, both of Stockton, were taken into custody without incident. Officers searching their vehicle discovered both burglary tools and a catalytic converter from another vehicle.
Arciniega and Khamavone were arrested and charged with conspiracy, possession of stolen property, possession of burglary tools, and tampering with a vehicle. They are currently in custody at the San Joaquin County Jail on $135,000 bail, and are expected to appear in the Manteca branch of the San Joaquin County Superior Court today to answer to their charges.
According to the Manteca Police, catalytic converter theft has been on the rise in recent months with thieves looking to get the scrap value of several of the precious metals that are contained within the units.
“Catalytic converter theft continues to plague our city as well as numerous jurisdictions throughout the state,” the department said in a post announcing the arrest of the suspects. “There are a number of steps you can take to help us catch those responsible including having the vehicle’s license plate number etched onto the converter and parking in areas with good security video coverage.
“We’re thankful for the alert citizen that called in this suspicious behavior. It’s teamwork like his that helps us quickly catch those responsible.”
According to research firm BeenVerified, thieves stole 26,000 catalytic converters from January through May of this year – up 80 percent from the year before. The firm pulled its research data from the insurance crime bureau’s available data and other online sources.
The firm also found that Toyota, Honda, and Lexus vehicles were most likely to be targeted, and the states of California, Texas, and Washington are expected to lead the nation in the number of overall thefts. Three other states – Colorado, Arizona, and Connecticut – are expected to see the biggest year-over-year increase. If the current trends hold, Colorado will see a nearly 600 percent increase in the number of catalytic converter thefts compared to 2020.
Just last week the Lodi Police Department collaborated with Sanborn Chevrolet to offer free catalytic converter etching to residents of that community – a step that law enforcement says is important for tracking stolen goods and alerting recycling agents of who the rightful owner of the unit is. Authorities also recommend installing aftermarket cages that make it incredibly difficult to remove the catalytic converter with the tools that most thieves carry.
To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.
