Thieves victimized five Toyota SUV owners in Chico who woke up Thursday to find their catalytic converters gone.
Chico Police say the thefts occurred Halloween night in east Chico neighborhoods. All of the thefts took place during the night from vehicles parked either in driveways, parking lots or on the street. All of the victim vehicles were Toyotas. Two were Toyota Sequoiah’s, one was a Toyota T-100 truck, one was a 4Runner and one was a Tacoma. Police believe that there are at least two suspects involved.
The thefts typically take place within about 5 minutes. Toyota’s SUV’s are often targeted due to clearance under the vehicle and easier access to the part. The Catalytic Converters contain valuable metals and are often sold to unscrupulous scrap metal dealers. Replacing the part can cost the victims thousands.
