Police in San Jose, California, say they’ve taken down a “criminal theft ring” responsible for stealing hundreds of catalytic converters during the coronavirus pandemic. A six-month police operation dubbed Operation Cat Scratch Thiever culminated in the arrest of 15 people and the recovery of some 1,000 allegedly stolen catalytic converters, the San Jose Police Department said Monday. The suspects were said to be between the ages of 22 and 81. In addition to the pilfered car parts—which are hugely expensive to replace and coveted by thieves because of the precious metals they contain—police found $50,000 in cash, four handguns, armor-piercing ammo, and an assault rifle.
