Takoma Park Police are investigating a string of catalytic converter thefts that occurred this week.
According to a community advisory email, officers responded to five thefts of catalytic converters between January 12 and 14:
- 400 block of Elm Ave.: Officers responded on January 12 at approximately 9:00 a.m. for a stolen catalytic converter from the victim’s 2010 Toyota Prius. It is believed to have occurred sometime between January 11 at 7:00 p.m. and January 12 at 8:45 a.m. Case #250001509
- 500 block of Elm Ave.: Officers responded on January 14 at approximately 5:47 a.m. for two stolen catalytic converters from the victims’ 2006 and 2009 Toyota Prius vehicles. It is believed to have occurred sometime between January 13 at 10:00 p.m. and January 14 at 5:00 a.m. Case #250001765
- 7600 block of Maple Ave.: Officers responded on January 14 at approximately 11:09 a.m. for a stolen catalytic converter from the victim’s 2015 Toyota Prius. It is believed to have occurred sometime between January 13 at 7:23 p.m. and January 14 at 8:18 a.m. Case #250001818
- Unit block of Crescent Place: Officers responded on January 14 at approximately 1:15 p.m. for a stolen catalytic converter from the victim’s 2015 Toyota Prius. It is believed to have occurred sometime between January 11 at an unknown time and January 12 at 8:40 a.m. Case #250001842
- 7600 block of Maple Ave.: Officers responded on January 14 at approximately 4:09 p.m. for a stolen catalytic converter from the victim’s 2012 Toyota Prius. It is believed to have occurred sometime between January 13 at 5:00 p.m. and January 14 at 10:00 a.m. Case #250001864
Takoma Park Police’s Etch & Catch program, in partnership with RS Automotive and Lowe’s, aims to deter potential thieves and track stolen catalytic converters.
Residents seeking to have their catalytic converters etched and painted can visit RS Automotive at 7224 Carroll Ave. in Takoma Park to have their license plate number etched onto their catalytic converter at no cost.
Appointments are required and can be scheduled by contacting RS Automotive at (301) 270-4418 and mentioning the Etch & Catch program.
“Hybrid cars, such as the Prius, are targeted by thieves because they have two power sources – an electric motor and a petrol or diesel engine – so their catalytic converters are used less frequently to process pollutants,” police spokesperson Cathy Plevy said at the program’s launch in 2021. “This means the metals inside them are less likely to corrode, so they’re more valuable and therefore more desirable to thieves.”
More information on the Etch & Catch catalytic converter etching program is available at takomaparkmd.gov.
Photo: © MitchCoxPhoto – stock.adobe.com