The flood of catalytic converter thefts in Winnipeg has slowed to a trickle following the implementation of a brand new anti-theft program and arrests at a rural scrap yard.

Winnipeg police stated Tuesday solely 31 catalytic converters have been stolen in August, down from 78 in July. That compares to 353 in April and 283 in Might. Thieves reduce out the half, which is effective as a result of it comprises treasured metals, from the underside of autos and promote it to scrap yards.

“A mix of Challenge Valuable, ongoing police enforcement, the brand new scrap metallic act, and the Crime Stopper’s engraving program (has meant) the variety of catalytic converter thefts reported to WPS has plummeted,” police stated in a press release.

Challenge Valuable was the title of the four-month investigation into the wave of thefts that culminated in arrests at a scrap yard within the RM of Springfield in June.

To this point this 12 months, 1,552 of the units have been stolen in Winnipeg.

Victims whose autos have been made inoperable after their catalytic converter was reduce out greeted Tuesday’s information with pleasure.

“Wow,” stated Maria Buccini, whose 2004 Honda Pilot was focused in February whereas she labored within the Grant Park mall.

“That’s good. No matter they’re doing now seems to be working… it gained’t have an effect on me now, however it can assist others. I can drive with peace of thoughts now.”

“That’s good. No matter they’re doing now seems to be working… it gained’t have an effect on me now, however it can assist others. I can drive with peace of thoughts now.”–Maria Buccini

Ian Surdhar — whose automobile was off the street for weeks after its catalytic converter was stolen final December, solely to be stolen once more after being mounted — can also be happy to listen to the dramatic drop in variety of thefts.

“I don’t know what did it, however it’s a good factor, clearly,” Surdhar stated.

“I used to be happy to see all of the modifications are available in, however whether or not it was the regulation coming in or the bust, I don’t know. However the reality there may be warmth on the culprits at the very least makes individuals assume twice about taking them.”

Whereas solely 14 catalytic converters have been stolen in 2015, the quantity had jumped dramatically. In 2021, 1,564 have been reported stolen.

The thefts have been on tempo to dramatically eclipse final 12 months’s numbers till a police raid and a brand new provincial regulation took impact.

In June, police raided a scrap yard in Springfield; two males have been charged with buying and selling in massive portions of the stolen converters, which cut back dangerous emissions from a automobile’s exhaust system. A month later, 4 others have been arrested at a visitors cease; stolen catalytic converters have been discovered of their possession.

A provincial regulation, the Scrap Steel Act, took impact in July to focus on the sale and buy of the units. By regulation, metallic recyclers at the moment are required to {photograph} and doc all converters they purchase and hand over their information to police every week. They aren’t allowed to pay greater than $50 in money for a converter.

As well as, greater than 30 auto service centres in Winnipeg got etching tools so they might engrave automobile ID numbers onto newly put in catalytic converters.

On the time, scrap recyclers bemoaned the modifications, saying the additional paperwork would do little to scale back the incidence of theft.

Les Rattai, who manages J Max Collision and Glass in Fort Garry, stated he has seen the outcomes. Rattai paused when he was requested when the final catalytic restore got here in.

“We’re nonetheless getting a couple of stragglers, nevertheless it has reduce down heaps,” Rattai stated. “We have been getting wherever from one to 5 per week for fairly awhile and now we’ve simply had a pair in awhile.

“(The thieves) have been taking them someplace, however I assume if they’ll’t promote them, they don’t need them.”

Winnipeg police nonetheless advise the drivers “to stay conscious when parking your automobile” by placing it in a locked storage and a well-lit space when attainable.

As for Surdhar, he was already taking further precautions to scale back the possibility he’d be thrice unfortunate.

“I park over paving stones that I placed on the driveway now. There isn’t a room for anybody to get underneath the automotive,” he stated.

“The paving stones have been stolen at one level, so now I’ve glued them down, nevertheless it’s rather a lot simpler to interchange paving stones than to interchange a catalytic converter.”

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