COOS COUNTY — Law enforcement officials report the theft of catalytic converters from vehicles has skyrocketed as prices have risen for the rare metals contained in the emission control device.
Berlin Police Captain Jeff Lemoine said the department has recorded 19 thefts of converters since Jan. 1.
kAm“(6 2C6 24E:G6=J :?G6DE:82E:?8 E96> 2?5 92G6 56G6=@A65 DFDA64ED 2E E9:D E:>6[” {6>@:?6 D2:5]k^Am
kAm$E2E6 !@=:46 D2:5 :ED @77:46CD 92G6 C6DA@?565 E@ ?F>6C@FD 42E2=JE:4 4@?G6CE6C E967ED :? ?@CE96C? }6H w2>AD9:C6]k^Am
kAmw:<:?8 EC2:=9625D 2C6 2 72G@C:E6 E2C86E 7@C E96 E9:6G6D H:E9 &]$] u@C6DE DA@<6DH@>2? r@==66? |2?G:==6 C6A@CE:?8 E96C6 92G6 366? 23@FE a_ 42E2=JE:4 4@?G6CE6CD DE@=6? 7C@> G69:4=6D A2C<65 2E (9:E6 |@F?E2:? }2E:@?2= u@C6DE EC2:=9625D @G6C?:89E D@ 72C E9:D J62C]k^Am
kAm$96 D2:5 u@C6DE $6CG:46 =2H 6?7@C46>6?E @77:46CD 2C6 H@C<:?8 H:E9 DE2E6 2?5 =@42= @77:4:2=D E@ :56?E:7J E9@D6 C6DA@?D:3=6 2?5 >2<6 2CC6DED] |2?G:==6 ?@E65[ 9@H6G6C[ E92E E96 E967E @7 42E2=JE:4 4@?G6CE6CD :D ?@E =:>:E65 E@ EC2:=9625D 2?5 D2:5 :E :D 2 AC@3=6> 24C@DD }6H t?8=2?5]k^Am
kAmx? 724E[ E96 E967E @7 42E2=JE:4 4@?G6CE6CD :D 2 AC@3=6> 24C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ]k^Am
kAm$E2E6 u2C> x?DFC2?46 C6A@CE65 E92E 7C@> yF=J `[ a_a_[ E@ yF=J `[ a_a`[ 4=2:>D 7@C 42E2=JE:4 4@?G6CE6C E967ED :?4C62D65 3J ahb A6C46?E] %96 :?DFC2?46 4@>A2?J D2:5 :E A2:5 @FE >@C6 E92? Sbb]f >:==:@? 5FC:?8 E92E `a\>@?E9 A6C:@5 4@>A2C65 E@ Sh >:==:@? E96 AC6G:@FD `a\>@?E9 A6C:@5]k^Am
kAm!2CE @7 E96 6I92FDE DJDE6>[ E96 42E2=JE:4 4@?G6CE6C :D =@42E65 F?56C?62E9 E96 G69:4=6 2?5 7@C E92E C62D@?[ ECF4<D 2?5 $&'D E6?5 E@ 36 >@C6 A@AF=2C H:E9 E9:6G6D 3642FD6 E96 4=62C2?46 :D 9:896C] %96J 42? 4C2H= F?56C E96 G69:4=6 H:E9@FE 92G:?8 E@ FD6 2 ;24< @C =:7E 2?5 4FE @77 E96 4@?G6CE6C :? >:?FE6D FD:?8 2 D2H @C A@H6C E@@=] qFE E96 >@DE A@AF=2C 42C 7@C E9:6G6D :D E96 %@J@E2 !C:FD 3642FD6 2D 2 9J3C:5 E96 4@?G6CE6C :D FD65 =6DD 2?5 E6?5D E@ 36 :? 36EE6C 4@?5:E:@?[ 5C2H:?8 2 9:896C C6D2=6 AC:46]k^Am
kAm%9:6G6D 42? 86E 7C@> Sd_ E@ 2 76H 9F?5C65 5@==2CD A6C 4@?G6CE6C D6==:?8 E96> E@ >6E2= D4C2AA6CD 2?5 E96 D2=6D 2C6 ?@E EC24<65 3J =2H 6?7@C46>6?E] %96 C6A=246>6?E 4@DE E@ E96 G69:4=6 @H?6C :D 4@?D:56C23=J >@C6 — Sed_ E@ Sa[c__ 7@C A2CED 2?5 =23@C 56A6?5:?8 @? E96 G69:4=6] x? }6H w2>AD9:C6[ :7 2 42E2=JE:4 4@?G6CE6C 42>6 DE2?52C5 @? J@FC G69:4=6[ J@F >FDE 92G6 @?6 E@ A2DD E96 6>:DD:@?D E6DE 2D A2CE @7 E96 2??F2= :?DA64E:@?]k^Am
kAm{2H 6?7@C46>6?E @77:4:2=D C64@>>6?5 D@>6 DE6AD G69:4=6 @H?6CD 42? E2<6 E@ C65F46 E96 @55D @7 E96:C G69:4=6D 36:?8 E2C86E65]k^Am
kAm“(6 2D< E96 AF3=:4 E@ DE2J G:8:=2?E 2?5 36 4@8?:K2?E @7 H96C6 E96J 2C6 A2C<:?8 @C DE@C:?8 G69:4=6D 7@C 6IE6?565 A6C:@5D] %96 AF3=:4 D9@F=5 4964< G69:4=6D E@ D66 :7 E96 42E2=JE:4 4@?G6CE6CD 2C6 DE:== 2EE24965 @? G69:4=6D E92E 92G6 366? D:EE:?8 7@C 2 A6C:@5 @7 E:>6[” D2:5 {6>@:?6]k^Am
kAm~E96C DF886DE:@?D :?4=F56 A2C<:?8 :?D:56 2 82C286 :7 J@F 92G6 @?6 @C :?DE2==:?8 2 9@>6 D64FC:EJ 42>6C2 :7 J@F 92G6 E@ A2C< @FED:56i A2C<:?8 H:E9 E96 A2DD6?86C D:56 282:?DE 2 4FC3 E@ >2<6 :E 92C56C E@ 2446DD E96 F?56CD:56 @7 J@FC G69:4=6j 2?5 H96?6G6C A@DD:3=6[ A2C<:?8 :? 2 H6==\=:E 2C62]k^Am
kAm|2?G:==6 D2:5 2?@E96C DF886DE:@? :D 7@C A6@A=6 E@ 6?8C2G6 E96:C G69:4=6 :56?E:7:42E:@? ?F>36C @? E96:C 42E2=JE:4 4@?G6CE6C] $96 D2:5 E92E H2J :7 E96 4@?G6CE6C :D C64@G6C65 :E 42? 36 E:65 E@ 2 DA64:7:4 E967E 2?5 =:?< :?5:G:5F2=D E@ :E]k^Am
kAm{6>@:?6 D2:5 2?J@?6 H:E9 :?7@C>2E:@? 23@FE E967ED @7 42E2=JE:4 4@?G6CE6CD :? q6C=:? D9@F=5 42== E96 A@=:46 2E We_bX fda\b`b` 2?5 2D< E@ DA62< E@ 2 56E64E:G6]k^Am
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.