Crime & Safety
MBTA's Battle Against Catalytic Converter Theft Continues in Mansfield
Mansfield hit in the few past months with thefts.
Last week, Mansfield Police reported were stolen while their vehicles were parked in the train station lot on Winthrop Avenue.
The Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority has been dealing with catalytic converter thefts from parking lots for the past year, according to Wickedlocal.com.
The converters are prime targets because of the high content of precious metals used in their construction, such as platinum. They can go for anywhere from $80-$150 at scrap metal outlets.
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Recently, a New Bedford couple was arrested in Brockton for these kinds of thefts by Transit Police. Transit police stated they believed the couple was responsible for over 100 such thefts in the area.
Police commented that the thefts are hard to catch because of the short amount of time it takes to get the converters off and the fact that such a removal does not set off a car alarm.
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In Mansfield, only two incidents were reported on Feb. 6 at the train station itself. On the other hand, a caller from Dealer Tire reported in December that the were stolen over a weekend.
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