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Warning Issued After Rash Of Catalytic Converter Thefts From Vehicles On South Coast

Law enforcement officers have issued a public warning in the wake of a rash of catalytic converter thefts from vehicles on the South Coast.

Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office investigators say a number of thefts have taken place during the last week in neighborhoods from Isla Vista to Santa Barbara. The air pollution control devices are expensive, and can bring in big dollars on the black market.

Investigators are warning people that the thefts have been taking place during the overnight hours, and are focused on imported cars like Hondas and Toyotas. They are urging people to park in well-lit or fenced in areas.

Lance Orozco has been News Director of KCLU since 2001, providing award-winning coverage of some of the biggest news events in the region, including the Thomas and Woolsey brush fires, the deadly Montecito debris flow, the Borderline Bar and Grill attack, and Ronald Reagan's funeral.