Catalytic converter thefts continue to be a crime trend. Recently, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s deputies arrested two suspects from the Los Angeles area for theft of catalytic converters in Goleta and recovered six stolen converters.

The deputies responded to the area of Dearborn Place and Armitos Avenue for a reported theft of a catalytic converter that had just occurred. The reporting party provided a suspect vehicle description. Approximately 7 minutes later, deputies spotted a similar vehicle on Highway 101, southbound and conducted a traffic enforcement stop near the Las Positas offramp.

The theft of catalytic converters is popular because they can be easily removed, they do not have identifying marks like serial numbers, and the components are made up of precious metals that can be resold to recyclers. There are steps that can be taken to thwart these thefts including parking inside a garage or secured yard, installing motion detector lights near parking areas, installing a catalytic converter protection device, and educating neighbors to be on the look-out for thieves.

To report suspicious activity, call 911 or the non-emergency dispatch line at 805-683-2724.

Pictured: Catalytic converters found in trunk of suspects car