Michigan deer hunters victimized by catalytic converter thieves
Hunters are on alert in at least one Michigan county after an apparent uptick in catalytic converter thefts.
The Ionia County Sheriff’s Office reported this week that at least two catalytic converters were removed from vehicles while their occupants were deer hunting.
The agency stated via Facebook: “Recently, Otisco Township Deputy Joseph Tefft took two reports of catalytic converters being cut and stolen from vehicles that were parked near rural hunting areas while the owners were out hunting for deer.
“We ask the public to watch for suspicious activity, and to report it immediately to Ionia Central Dispatch by calling 616-527-0400 or dialing 9-1-1.”
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One comment reads: “Wow!!! That takes some guts…..climbing under somebody’s vehicle and cutting off their converter…….knowing that person is in the woods with a loaded gun.”
The soaring number of catalytic converter thefts for their precious metals – including palladium, platinum, and rhodium – is a nationwide phenomenon and can involve sophisticated crime rings.
A single catalytic converter can fetch as much as $1,000 on the black market.
–White-tailed deer image is generic