A Guelph business had much of its vehicle fleet disabled this week after catalytic converters were stolen from seven work vans.
Guelph police were called Monday to a business on York Road near Watson Road South. A staff member advised sometime over the weekend the exhaust components were cut off the vans in their compound. The thief left a power tool behind which has been seized.
Catalytic converters are part of a motor vehicle’s emission system, located between the engine and muffler, which convert harmful substances in exhaust gasses into less harmful substances via chemical reaction.
Police services all over North America have seen an increase in catalytic converter thefts in recent months. In Guelph at least 20 vehicles have been stripped of their catalytic converters since Christmas.
The Guelph Police Service encourages residents to park in garages or well-lit areas whenever possible and to report suspicious people or vehicles around areas where motor vehicles are left unattended, especially during overnight hours.
The York Road incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call Const. Geoffrey Hiebert at 519-824-1212, ext. 7290, email him at [email protected], leave an anonymous tip for Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or leave an anonymous tip online at www.csgw.tips.
