Reports of catalytic converter theft in Fresno fell 60% after federal authorities arrested a man who sold part of thousands of stolen cars for more than $2.5 million in profits.
Federal prosecutors announced a dramatic decline in the theft Thursday as they convicted George Thomas, 72, who was charged in 2023 with interstate traffic theft and other crimes. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison at the longest time.
Thomas is a dealer of prolific catalytic converters, and they are of great value because they are made of precious metals such as platinum and palladium that can be sold on the black market for hundreds or even thousands of dollars per ounce.
Catalytic converter thieves have been intimidating Californians for years, and some encounters turn into violence when car owners stumble upon the thief’s action. actor Johnny Wactor was shot dead by a thief last year A man was fatally shot deadly in February after he met them trying to steal a catalytic converter from his Toyota Prius in downtown Los Angeles. Face two suspicious thieves in Ingwood.
Prosecutors said Thomas did not steal theft personally, but worked with numerous currency thieves who would meet in strip malls and motel parking lots to buy stolen goods.
He gave the thief instructions on which part of the car he was looking for and how best to remove the converter from the vehicle.
Thomas attempted to cover up his illegal activity by taking pictures of the seller of the converter, asking them to identify and record the vehicle identification number for each sale. He also made the thief sign paperwork, saying that the converters were not stolen. But investigators found that more than half of the VINs did not match the car the converter might have come from.
Thomas then drove the converter out of a scrap metal store in California, where he sold the converter for $2.7 million.
To capture Thomas, the secret agent of the federal investigator is a conversion thief who wants to sell to Thomas and make sure Thomas knows the parts he is buying are illegal.
Undercover meets with Thomas, sells converters, and makes it clear how they are acquired.
“I got these little little knuckles and stole some of me,” the undercover agent said.
Thomas has no one else.
“I don’t care where you get the converter,” he said.
