Peoria police arrest 3 in connection with catalytic converter thefts

PEORIA, AZ - Three men were arrested in connection with various car part thefts in Peoria last month.

On Aug. 9, Peoria police caught the men in the middle of one of the catalytic converter thefts after receiving a tip that led them to watch the men over the course of a few days.

Police saw the men pull into a parking lot near 75th Avenue and Encanto Boulevard.

The men got out of their truck and raised the hood as if they were looking at the engine, according to police.

One of the men got underneath a nearby Toyota Sequoia with a saw and removed the catalytic converter.

The men took the part and drove away in their vehicle.

During a later traffic stop, 42-year-old Roosevelt Scroggins, 21-year-old Dion Howard, and 19-year-old Derek Figueroa were arrested for burglary from a vehicle.

According to Peoria police, they received 15 reports of stolen catalytic converters since August began.

Most people may not realize that a crime is occurring in cases like these, according to police, as these types of thefts are not as obvious.

Peoria police obtained a video of men removing a catalytic converter from a vehicle with several passersby not even noticing the event.

They hope that educating the public will help deter the thefts and make it easier to stop the crimes from happening.