Wow! Catalytic Converters Apparently The "Hot" Item In Chelmsford

You may recall a story back in January about catalytic converters being ripped out of cars in the Berkshire County town of Adams and the surrounding communities. Well, the town of Chelmsford had a spat of catalytic converter thefts of its own recently. And the perpetrators collected quite a few of the highly sought-after gizmos... well, at least in the crime world.

Nearly 30 catalytic converters were recovered...

According to a post on the Massachusetts State Police Twitter feed from a media release put out by the Chelmsford Police Department, three defendants are facing charges in the theft of 29 catalytic converters.

Chelmsford Police Department

(Above: 29 recently recovered stolen catalytic converters)

According to Chelmsford Police Chief James Spinney, reports the Chelmsford Police Department is charging three people with removing catalytic converters from vehicles at an area business. They are investigating the source of numerous other catalytic converters recovered on Monday (5/23).

These particular thefts are being investigated as taking place over other past three months, according to the Chelmsford Police.

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The three suspects: 24-year-old Jerek Archer of Imperial, Missouri; 47-year-old Eric Amundsen of St. Louis, Missouri; and a 26-year-old Missouri woman who was not named, have all been charged with Receiving Property Over $1,200 and various other related charges. The unnamed woman is facing the most charges, mostly due to having refused to stop for the police.

You can read the full media release with all the gory details, HERE.

The Chelmsford Police are providing the following tips to help others from having their car parts stolen...

Park your vehicle in well-lit areas.

Park close to building entrances or the nearest road in public parking lots. This leaves your vehicle in a location where many people can see it.

If you have a personal or shared garage, keep your vehicle parked inside with the door shut.

Add video surveillance to the area where you regularly park your vehicle.

Install a catalytic converter-specific security device, such as an aluminum plate that, once installed, can provide a strong barrier against theft.

Adjust the security system on your vehicle, if already installed, to activate from vibrations, such as those produced by a saw.

Remember to call the police and report where your car was parked when your catalytic converter was stolen. Provide as many identifying details as possible, including the time when the theft most likely occurred.

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