Brunswick Police are investigating three truck rental incidents earlier this month.
BRUNSWICK, Ga. – Brunswick, GA police are investigating a series of catalyst thefts from three truck rental companies.
However, it can be harder to make money off of platinum and other materials in the catalysts than you think.
“It’s not something a person can do. It’s a manufacturing process that a catalyst must go through to remove the catalyst from it,” said Rupert McDaniel, a worker at a recycling facility in southwest Georgia.
McDaniel said he gets several calls every week from people trying to sell converters, but he is not licensed to buy them. He said they were too much paperwork to record.
“It just needs a different type of license and you have to handle it differently,” said McDaniel.
Recently, Brunswick police reported a total of 22 converters taken from trucks in the city.
The first report came from Brunswick Pawn on February 3rd. According to the police, the catalytic converters under the truck were cut off on six budget rental trucks.
On February 9, two companies, Sherees’ Boxes U-HAUL Rentals and T&C Pawn World, had eight converters picked up from each location.
McDaniel said Georgia needs stricter regulations to enforce who buys and sells converters to reduce the number of thefts.
McDaniel explains the red flags he sees when people try to circumvent the law.
“Anyone who comes up on a bike and tries to sell you something of a vehicle has a reason,” he said.
So what can you do to keep your vehicle safe from a target?
The police advise people to park in well-lit areas or in a garage if you have one.
You can also weld the converter to the frame of your car, which makes it difficult to steal.
The police in Braunschweig had no more suspects by Wednesday evening and surveillance videos from the nearby companies did not reveal anything.
