FILE PHOTO
(KIM ANDERSON / iNFOnews.ca)
September 03, 2020 - 2:35 PM
A Vancouver Island man and Lower Mainland woman are facing charges after a concerned citizen caught them in the middle of an attempt to steal a catalytic converter from a passenger van in Lytton.
On Aug. 22, at 2:43 p.m., Lytton RCMP responded to a report of mischief and attempted theft in progress along Main Street. A citizen reported they heard a power saw cutting through metal as a man and a woman allegedly attempted to remove a catalytic converter from a Honda Odyssey minivan, according to an RCMP press release.
After the citizen confronted the suspects, they drove away heading west in a vehicle. Police officers then located a vehicle matching the suspect vehicle description south of Lytton, making two arrests without incident.
Investigators determined that the catalytic converter had almost entirely been removed.
The 38-year-old Madeira Park man and 50-year-old Coquitlam woman each face potential criminal charges, RCMP said.
In the Lower Mainland, police officers saw a 50 per cent spike in catalytic converter thefts between January and July, compared to the same time period last year.
RCMP said thieves target catalytic converters for the valuable metals, which are sold as scrap for cash. Vehicles that are higher up from the ground, such as minivans or SUVs, are targeted more frequently as the catalytic converter is more accessible.
RCMP released a 21-second long video last month showing how quickly thieves can steal a catalytic converter from a vehicle.
If you witnessed Aug. 22 theft in Lytton, and have not yet spoken to police, you are asked to call the Lytton RCMP at 250-455-2225.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Carli Berry or call 250-864-7494 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.
News from © iNFOnews, 2020