Spike in catalytic converter thefts in Bakersfield

ALEX -- IT'S DEFINTELY BEEN AVERY FRUSTRATINGTIME FOR HUNDREDS OF BAKERSFIELDRESIDENTS..

ASREPAIRING A CATAYLTIC CONVERTERHAS BEEN VERYEXPENSIVE..

AND MORE RECENTLY..A VERY LENGHTY PROCESS... ANDGET THIS..

THERE HAS ALREADYBEEN THREE TIMES MOREREPORTED CATALYTIC CONVERTERTHEFTS THISYEAR..

THAN ALL OF 2020.CAR STARTING, MAKING RUMBLINGSOUNDIT'S AN UNPLEASANT ROAR THAT'SALL TOO FAMILIARACROSS BAKERSFIELD."I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT SOUND ITMADE, SO I TEXT MY DAD, I'MLIKE,'UHH, SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT ANDHE TOLD ME 'YUP THAT'S YOURCATALYTIC CONVERTER' SO I JUSTFIGURED... THEY GOT ME."LYNSIE MCROBERTS HAD HERCATALYTIC CONVERTERSSTOLEN A FEW WEEKS AGO OFF HERTOYOTA SUV, AND ACCORDINGTO BAKERSFIELD POLICE DETECTIVEJESSICA AMOS, SHE'S JUST ONEOF MAN" WE HAVE AN INCREASE IN THEMBEING STOLEN RIGHT NOWTHROUGHOUT THE CITY, WE ARELOOKING AT ABOUT 450 RIGHTNOW FOR THE YEAR."THE INCREASE COMES AS THE PRICEOF PLATINUM,RHODIUM, AND PALLADIUM METALSUSED TO MAKE CATALYTICCONVERTERS CONTINUES TO RISE.

ASOTHER COUNTRIES LIKECHINA AND EUROPE CRACKDOWN ONCAR EMISSIONS."THEY'RE SELLING THEM TO EITHERRECYCLING PLACES, THERE ISDIFFERENT AUTO BODY SHOPS THATWE HAVE INFORMATION ONTHEM PURCHASING THESE."AUTO REPAIR BUSINESSES -- LIKEBOB'S MUFFLER SHOP(DO YOU HAVE NATS OF THE PHONERINGING TO PUT HERE?)HAVE BEEN SLAMMED WITH REPAIRREQUESTS"WE USUALLY GET LIKE 20 TO 30 ADAY, THE PHONE IS RINGING TILLWE OPEN IN THE MORNING TILL WECLOSE AT NIGHT.

WE GOT A CALLWAITING, AND IT DOESN'T STOP ALLDAY LONG."REPLACING OR FIXING THOSECONVERTERS IS NOT A QUICKPROCESS, SOME OF THOSEREQUESTS... LIKE FOR MCROBERTSCAN TAKE WEEKS OR EVEN MONTHS TOCOMPLETE..."IT'S HAPPENING SO QUICK,THEY'VE FALLEN BEHIND ON THEIRMANUFACTURING, SOME OF THEDEALER 'CATS' ARE SIX TO EIGHTMONTHS OUT, THEY DON'T HAVEANYTHING."THE PRICE TAG CAN RANGE IN THETHOUSANDS WITHOUT INSURANCE..

ANINCONVENIENCE BPD SAYS PEOPLEMAY BE ABLE TOAVOID BY GFX-- PARKING INWELL-LIT AREAS OR GARAGESTHOSE TIPS ARE EXTRA IMPORTANTAS IT'S MUCH EASIER TO GETUNDERNEATH THE CAR... SAVING THETHIEF TIME FROM HAVING TO JACKITUP.

ALEX...ALEX; AND BAYAN WHAT IS THEPOLICE DEPARTMENTDOING TO HELP WITH THIS ISSU