If Your Catalytic Converter Got Stolen, There's a good chance this Illinois thief had it.

Unusual Item Tops Stolen Property List In Illinois

I've talked about it several times over the past couple of years. Illinois has a huge crime problem. In fact, I believe it's gotten out of control. The list of targeted products keeps expanding. Of course, you've got the usual valuable items like cars, money, jewelry, and other pricey things. Now, you can add something very unusual to the most wanted. That's catalytic converters. Who would've ever thought? I'm pretty sure many victims don't even know what they are.

According to patch.com,

Illinois Police Arrest Big-Time Catalytic Converter Thief

It's funny because the whole thing happened by accident. The Cook County police were responding to an alarm call at a residence. When they arrived, no one answered the door. They started investigating the situation and went around to the back of the house. At that time, they discovered hundreds of catalytic converters. They immediately requested a search warrant.

Illinois Catalytic Converter Thief Arrested
Illinois Catalytic Converter Thief Arrested
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During the search of the house, they discovered 612 catalytic converters. A thief could sell them on the street for $1,500 each. That comes out to $918,000. Not a bad little payday. The owner of the home also runs a towing company but jhe didn't have any of the proper paperwork for those auto parts.

RELATED: Very Unusual Item Now Being Stolen In Illinois

This was one of the biggest busts of stolen vehicle parts in Illinois police history. Our state is ranked third in the United States for catalytic converter thefts. The number of them that have been illegally removed has increased by 400% over the past couple of years. That's crazy to think about.

The Most Bizarre Items Ever Stolen From Illinois Residents

My mom once told me that "people will steal anything that's not nailed down." Times certainly have changed since then. The thieves now have nail removers.

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