Oceanside Police Make Second High-Profile Catalytic Converter Theft Arrest in a Week

On Thursday, December 29, 2022, at approximately 2:05 am, Oceanside police responded to the report of a catalytic converter theft in progress at the 5000 block of Blackberry Way in Oceanside. Officers responding to the call quickly located the two suspect vehicles nearby and attempted to stop them. The suspects failed to yield, and a pursuit was initiated that traveled down State Route 76. When the suspect’s speed escalated, the pursuit was terminated in the interest of public safety. Before the termination of the pursuit, stop sticks had been strategically placed, and the suspect’s vehicles were both successfully disabled. When their vehicles became inoperable near Loretta Street, the suspects fled on foot towards the San Luis Rey Riverbed. Officers quickly contained the area, and with the help of the OPD Unmanned Arial System Team, the six suspects were apprehended. The suspects were found to possess two stolen catalytic converters and numerous burglary tools commonly utilized in catalytic converter theft.
One suspect was a runaway female juvenile and was released to her parents. All adult suspects were booked for Grand Theft, Receiving Stolen Property, Possession of Burglary Tools, and Conspiracy to Commit a Felony. Additionally, one suspect was booked for Child Endangerment. California Penal Code 1275.1, conditions were set on the suspect’s bail, which is intended to prevent funds acquired by felony criminal activity from being utilized to post bail.
The Oceanside Police Department is actively investigating this incident and seeking additional victims. If you have information regarding this incident, please contact Detective James at (760) 435-4286 or email cjames@oceansideca.org.
We would like to emphasize a few things to our community as we continue to work aggressively to eradicate catalytic converter theft. First, please be aware of suspicious behavior. Generally, most people do not do construction work in the late night or early morning hours. The sound of a saw during those times could indicate that a theft is occurring in the area. If you hear or see something suspicious, please immediately contact the Oceanside Police Department at (760) 435-4911, or for emergency response, dial 9-1-1. Do not attempt to stop thieves. Instead, contact law enforcement and provide a detailed description of the suspects and suspect vehicles. Include, if possible, the suspect’s vehicle plate number, make, model, color, and any distinguishing characteristics such as stickers or damage.
Park smart. If you can park in a garage, take advantage and secure your vehicle inside. If not, a well-lit driveway monitored by camera surveillance is your next best option. If you have the ability, change the settings on your car alarm to go off when vibrations are sensed.
Cage your converter. A muffler shop can help you weld a rebar cage around your converter to keep thieves at bay. Or, purchase a lock designed to go on your converter. Some you may be able to install yourself. While these options come with a cost, it outweighs the cost of replacing a converter. Replacing a stolen catalytic converter typically costs victims at least $2000.
Check with your insurance. See what your deductible would be to repair a stolen catalytic converter. Some policies may cover anti-theft device installation or offer a discount on your overall insurance plan for installing a protection device.
While this is a difficult crime to combat, working together with law enforcement and taking these proactive measures can help keep your vehicle safe