NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio – According to police reports from North Olmsted, thieves targeting catalytic converters have hit at least nine cars and trucks parked at repair shops along Lorain Road in recent weeks.
Two of those thefts occurred at Advanced Diagnostics Auto Repair.
“You start to look over your shoulder and understand that there are people who are not on your side,” said owner Jay Petek.
After the first case in late December, Petek said he had upgraded his security cameras.
Within weeks it paid off. The cameras captured clear video of a man and woman appearing to be working as a team stealing a catalytic converter from a van parked waiting for repair.
The theft took place on a Sunday afternoon when the store was closed.
Petek said that when mechanics started the van to drive for repair, they immediately knew they had been hit again.
“We were going to pull the vehicle in and there it was, very loud,” said Petek. “You know what it is at that moment.”
Catalytic converters are part of the exhaust systems of cars. They can also be valuable to thieves who throw them away for quick cash.
“Precious metals are involved,” said Petek. It’s platinum. They are worth some money based on the metals in the converters. ‘
Police reports show that in recent weeks thieves have also hit a nearby maintenance facility where trucks were parked and a car dealer.
As the thefts pile up, so do the repair costs for Petek, who has covered the cost of replacing catalytic converters stolen from his parking lot.
He said replacements can cost between $ 500 and $ 1,500.
“We don’t want to buy catalytic converters, I promise you that,” said Petek.
He hopes someone will spot the couple caught on camera stealing from his shop and call the police, hoping it will slow down this series of thefts.
“I understand times are tough,” said Petek, “but if you need a job, come and see me. I don’t need to be stolen. ‘
North Olmsted police said agents are following clues to identify the thieves.
They said there are two ways people can protect their cars: either park inside a garage or in a well-lit area at the entrance of a building.