Jacksonville police officer awarded for devising plan to curtail catalytic converter thefts

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) is praising a young police officer who recognized a sharp rise in recent catalytic converter thefts across Jacksonville and devised a plan to stop it.

Officer Paul Dew recognized the trend involving reported catalytic converter thefts from local businesses in his assigned Zone-3 and began investigating available data related to the crimes, JSO said.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, Dew devised a plan, and with the assistance of squad members, stopped potential suspects in the act. JSO says because of Dew’s plan, multiple suspects were apprehended during attempts to steal catalytic converters from a local business. The suspects were also linked to similar reported crimes occurring around the city involving catalytic converter thefts.

Catalytic converters are on all gas and diesel engine vehicles, but full-sized pickup trucks, Priuses, and Econoline-style work vans are the most common vehicles that have been targeted, according to JSO

So why are catalytic converter thefts on the rise? Last month Action News Jax investigator Ben Becker told you it’s likely because these car parts contain valuable metals like rhodium, which was worth about $600 per ounce five years ago. Today, it’s skyrocketed to approximately $28,000 per ounce — 17 times the price of gold — because the element is in short supply, while global demand is rising for emission control in cars.

To help keep your car safe from theft, JSO recommends these parking tips:

• Park in well-lit populated areas
• Park in a home garage when possible
• Park near motion-activated cameras or video surveillance
• Refrain from leaving your car unattended in empty business parking lots

Other tips include:

• Install an aftermarket catalytic converter protection plate
• Install a motion-sensing alarm system on your car

A power tool is required to steal someone’s catalytic converter, so JSO is asking the public to be aware of any loud noises around cars and report any suspicious behavior.

If you have any information regarding these incidents, call JSO at 904-630-0500 or email at JSOCrimeTips@jaxsheriff.org. To remain anonymous and receive a possible reward up to $3,000, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS (8477).

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