Thieves cut off the catalytic converters on five customers’ vehicles that were parked at a repair shop in Litchfield, CT. The shop’s owner, R.J. Ford, told a local reporter that the thieves knew what they were doing when they cut off the catalytic converters.
Below is the article as it appeared in The Register Citizen website.
Police Investigate Burglary of Catalytic Converters at The Litchfield Filling Station
Published: Tuesday, March 23, 2010
By RONALD DEROSA
LITCHFIELD — The “Easter bandits” have struck again.
Police are investigating a burglary at The Litchfield Filling Station in which unknown perpetrators stole catalytic converters from five separate cars. Business owner R.J. Ford told police the theft happened in the middle of the night, sometime after 9 p.m. on Sunday, March 21, and around 6 a.m. on Monday, March 22.
The cars parts were stolen from a BMW, Volkswagen, Ford, Chevrolet and Saab, all of which were parked at his business’ parking lot, Ford said. One car, the BMW, was parked right next to the building.
The Litchfield Filling Station is located at 384 Torrington Road, around two miles south of the Torrington border on Route 202.
Whoever did the crime wasn’t a kid, Ford said. The perpetrator seemed to have some automotive experience, knowing how to locate the catalytic converter inside each engine.
“They knew exactly what they were doing,” Ford said. “(The catalytic converters) were surgically removed, you could see exactly where they cut.”
The total cost to the stolen parts equals out to $2,000. Each of the cars were customer vehicles, Ford said.
Ford said he now plans to install a full surveillance system at The Litchfield Filling Station.
This isn’t the first time Ford’s auto repair shop has been victim of theft. Ford said for the past three years, around Easter, he has had scrap metal and catalytic converters stolen from his property.
“They’re the Easter bandits,” Ford said. “Every Easter they steal from me.”
The case is being handled by the Litchfield resident trooper’s office. Anyone with information is asked to contact Trooper M. Cashman at (860) 626-7900 ext. 5054.
To read this article on The Register Citizen website, visit http://www.registercitizen.com/articles/2010/03/23/news/doc4ba91be9bfdbb967866901.txt.