NORTH OLMSTED, Ohio – Thieves targeting catalytic converters have hit at least nine cars and trucks parked in workshops along Lorain Road in the past few weeks, according to North Olmsted police reports.
Two of these thefts occurred at Advanced Diagnostics Auto Repair.
“You start to look over your shoulder and understand that there are some people who are not on your side,” said owner Jay Petek.
After the first case in late December, Petek said he updated his security cameras.
In weeks, it was worth it. The cameras captured a clear video of a man and a woman appearing to work as a team stealing a catalytic converter from a van that was parked waiting for repairs.
The robbery happened on a Sunday afternoon, when the store was closed.
Petek said that when mechanics started the van to make repairs, they knew immediately that they had been hit again.
“We went to pull the vehicle and there it was, very high,” said Petek. “You kind of know at that point what it is.”
Catalytic converters are part of car exhaust systems. They can also be valuable to thieves who scrap them for quick cash.
“There are precious metals involved,” said Petek. “It’s platinum. They are worth some money based on the metals that are inside the converters.”
Police reports show that thieves have also hit a nearby maintenance facility, where trucks were parked and a car dealership in recent weeks.
As thefts increase, so does the price of repairs for Petek, who covered the cost of replacing the catalytic converters stolen from his parking lot.
He said replacements could cost between $ 500 and $ 1,500.
“We don’t want to buy catalytic converters, I promise you,” said Petek.
He hopes that someone will recognize the couple captured by the camera stealing from his store and call the police, hoping that this will put a brake on this sequence of thefts.
“I understand that times are tough,” said Petek, “but if you need a job, come see me. I don’t need to be robbed.”
North Olmsted police said police officers are following the clues that are trying to identify the thieves.
They said that two ways in which people can protect their cars is to park in a garage or in a well-lit area near the entrance to a building.