Several new catalytic converter incidents reported at Basin Rec

A bomb threat was called into the Summit County Sheriff’s Office on the morning of April 1, causing a lockdown of the South Summit High School. Photo: TownLift // Michele Roepke

PARK CITY, Utah — Catalytic converter thefts have continued throughout Summit County as deputies responded to an incident near Trailside Dr. where several more vehicles had their converters stolen over the weekend.

The complainant stated that two vehicles belonging to Basin Recreation had the catalytic converters cut out between April 22 and April 26.

Currently there is no suspect information available. Cameras were located in the area and the case will be forwarded to Investigations for follow-up with surveillance and suspect identification.

“These things are very unfortunate for the vehicle owners because it’s very destructive for the vehicle,” Lt. Andrew Wright said. “They basically take tools, saw it off, and they’re so good at it that they can do it in a minute or two and be gone…and the amount of money they get is not even close to what it costs the owner to replace it.”

This marks the fourth catalytic converter theft over the last week as several were stolen this past weekend in addition to the original case last Monday, all of which were reported near Silver Creek Business Park.

With a continued rise in the theft of these critical parts, car owners can do several things to prevent theft:

• Catalytic converter anti-theft devices are available from various manufacturers and range from steel plates protecting the underside of the vehicle to cages made from steel cables that are meant to discourage thieves from stealing a converter by making removal more time-consuming.
• Park overnight in a locked garage, or in a well-lit, enclosed lot if possible. If you’re parking in a driveway, consider installing motion sensor lights. If you’re parking on the street, try to pick a well-lit one with a good amount of traffic.
• Even if you drive an older car, alert local law enforcement and your insurer if your catalytic converter is stolen. Statistics can help legislators pass laws to make it tougher for thieves to sell stolen parts.

The Summit County Sheriff’s Department is also urging citizens to contact them in case they see anything in order to try and track these thieves down. Additionally, if anyone near Silver Creek Business Park or Basin Recreation has any information or video footage, they can submit it to the Sheriff’s Office.

“If you have the ability to park your car in a more secure or lighted area we’d recommend that but not everyone has that luxury. The biggest thing is that if you see anyone crawling around or near vehicles, call us immediately to get officers on the way. That’s the best thing people can do,” Wright said.