Los Angeles-area homeowner fatally stabs alleged catalytic converter thief in driveway
Thieves target catalytic converters because of the valuable metals the vehicle emissions part contains, including platinum, palladium and rhodium
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A Los Angeles-area homeowner fatally stabbed a suspected thief trying to steal a catalytic converter Friday morning.
The killing occurred in South El Monte, California, just before 3 a.m. at a home in the 11200 block of Thienes Avenue, FOX 11 Los Angeles reported.
ALLEGED MASSACHUSETTS CATALYTIC CONVERTOR THIEVES FAST AS A 'NASCAR PIT CREW'
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The homeowner told Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies he was sleeping when he heard a group of men talking in his driveway. He grabbed a kitchen knife and confronted four people allegedly stealing a catalytic converter from his vehicle parked in the driveway.
At some point, one of the suspects was stabbed by the homeowner. The other suspects fled the scene in a compact vehicle, authorities said.
Thefts of catalytic converters have swept American cities in recent years. A report from CarFax estimates that 153,000 of the emissions control devices were stolen in 2022, based on repair records.
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Many thieves target the vehicle part because of the valuable metals used in their construction, including platinum, palladium and rhodium.