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The Department of Justice announced on Wednesday, Nov. 2 that it will be seeking forfeiture from those responsible for the trend of vehicle parts being stolen and resold for massive profits.
In total, 21 people in five states have been charged following busts, searches, and seizures in the following states, according to the DOJ:
- California;
- Oklahoma;
- Wyoming;
- Minnesota;
- New Jersey;
- New York;
- Nevada;
- North Carolina;
- Virginia.
“Amidst a rise in catalytic converter thefts across the country, the Justice Department has today carried out an operation arresting 21 (suspects) and executing 32 search warrants in a nationwide takedown of a multimillion-dollar catalytic converter theft network,” Attorney General Merrick Garland announced.
According to the Justice Department, “catalytic converters use precious metals in their center, or ‘core,’ and are regularly targeted for theft due to the high value of these metals, especially the precious metals palladium, platinum, and rhodium.”
Officials made note that some of the metals being stolen are more valuable than an ounce of gold and the value has only been on the rise in recent years, prompting the new rash of thefts.
In some states, a stolen catalytic converter can net a thief more than $1,000 each on the black market, depending on the location and vehicle it was taken from.
“This national network of criminals hurt victims across the country,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said. “They made hundreds of millions of dollars in the process—on the backs of thousands of innocent car owners. Today’s charges showcase how the FBI and its partners act together to stop crimes that hurt all too many Americans.”
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