Catalytic Converter Thefts Drive July Crime Increase in Altadena

Crime increased in Altadena in July, driven in part by a rise in thefts of catalytic converters, the commander of the Altadena Sheriff’s Station told the Altadena Town Council Tuesday night.

Capt. Ethan Marquez said crews appear to be entering the area, quickly stealing catalytic converters and leaving before law enforcement can respond. The devices can be removed from vehicles in as little as one or two minutes, he said.

“What we’re likely seeing is people come into the area, especially off the freeways, hit the area very quickly,” Marquez said. “What these teams and these crews will do is they’ll come into an area, hit it hard, and then leave and go hit another area.”

The pattern makes the crimes particularly difficult to investigate because crews can quickly move between jurisdictions, requiring coordination among multiple law enforcement agencies.

Marquez said the station is planning a catalytic converter etching event at a local dealership for late September or early October. The station expects to seek participation from the Pasadena Police Department and California Highway Patrol.

Etching a vehicle identification number or license plate number onto a catalytic converter can help investigators connect a recovered device to a specific vehicle.

Without identifying markings, Marquez said deputies can stop someone carrying multiple catalytic converters but may have difficulty proving the devices were stolen.

“If they don’t have a VIN number or a license plate number, we can’t tie that back to a car,” he said.

Marquez said thieves target catalytic converters because they contain valuable metals that can be resold or processed. He said stolen converters can fetch about $500 each on the black market.

The captain also used his report to urge residents to contact law enforcement directly when crimes occur rather than posting about them on social media or sending emails to deputies.

Marquez said the station continues to encounter cases in which people report active or recently occurring crimes through email, sometimes hours after they happened.

“If there’s a crime that’s happening, call 911,” he said. Residents can also contact the Altadena Sheriff’s Station at 626-798-1131.

Direct contact with dispatchers allows deputies to obtain information from victims and send personnel to the scene more quickly, Marquez said.

He also addressed reports of illegal dumping during the rebuilding of Altadena, including cases in which people have allegedly dumped construction debris into large bins paid for by homeowners.

Marquez said those incidents can be reported to the Sheriff’s Department, but the person paying for the bin must generally come forward as the victim so deputies can investigate.

The department’s July crime increase comes as Altadena continues rebuilding following the Eaton Fire, bringing increased construction activity, contractors and traffic into residential neighborhoods.