Even the Beaumont Police Department doesn't appear to be immune from theft.
A 28-year-old Beaumont man has been accused of stealing converters off two Beaumont police vehicles.
The man was indicted July 20 by a Jefferson County Grand Jury for unlawfully acquiring catalytic converters valued between $2,500 and $30,000, according to court documents.
On May 26, a Beaumont Police Department Southeast Texas Auto Theft Task Force investigator was contacted by the department regarding the theft of two catalytic converters at the Special Services Division of the station.
When officers arrived at work and began their tour of duty, they noticed that a part of the barbed wire fence had been cut and pulled aside, according to the documents.
"From their observations, this led them to believe someone had gained access to the secured area," the documents state. "Upon further investigation, they discovered upon review of the security cameras that are stationed on the lot, they were able to see two subjects, dressed in all black, carrying flashlights, come over the fence in this area and make their way onto the clearly secure lot at approximately 10:02 p.m."
According to the documents, the video shows the subjects on the lot for up to 20 minutes before leaving.
The video also showed the subjects removing the catalytic converters from a 2000 Honda Accord and a 2005 Honda Accord, according to the documents. To replace the converters, it costs around $2,000 per vehicle.
When the task force investigator received a daily email from Top's Auto Recycling in Sulphur, Louisiana, which includes a list of individuals who sell recycled catalytic converters to the shop, he found the name of a man who sold two converters from Honda Accords for $945 at 12:21 p.m. May 26.
The investigator went to the shop in Sulphur to pick up the two converters.
He determined at least one of the end cuts from the exhaust pipes matched the catalytic converters
"Not only was (he) able to match the saw marks, but (he) was also able to match the discoloration of the exhaust pipes to the converters belonging to those vehicles," the documents say.
A cell phone map showed the man that sold the converters was at the crime scene location from 10:34 to 10:53 p.m. May 25. The map also shows him arriving in Sulphur at 12:07 p.m. May 26.
"After completeing (the) investigation, it has been determined that (the man) with intent to deprive the owner said property, intentionally and knowingly appropriates (two) catalytic converters from (two) Honda Accords, by acquiring or otherwise exercising control of said property," the documents state.
courtney.pedersen@beaumontenterprise.com
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