TORONTO – A Toronto non-profit organization that delivers used furniture to people and families in need have to find alternative means of transportation after their fleet of trucks were targeted by thieves last month.
The Furniture Bank says six of its trucks had their catalytic converters stolen during the evening of Feb. 27, which have left the vehicles immobilized.
“This is the third time in as many years we have been hit by such a crime,” said Furniture Bank executive director Dan Kershaw in a media release.
“This will slow down our work, but it will definitely not deter our staff and volunteers from turning empty spaces into true homes.”
Catalytic converters convert engine pollutants into less harmful emissions before they leave a vehicle’s exhaust system.
Thieves target them for their precious metals, including trace amounts of palladium, rhodium and platinum.
Security images and video recorded on a surveillance system shows a vehicle driving and stopping beside several transport trucks next to the Furniture Bank’s building on 25 Connell Court near Kipling Avenue and the Gardiner Expressway in Etobicoke.
Two suspects are visible with one of them appearing to load something into their vehicle.
The Furniture Bank says the incidents occurred within a span of 30 minutes beginning at 8 p.m.
The alleged theft happened two weeks after the federal government announced $86 million in additional funding for Toronto to fight homelessness through the Homelessness Partnering Strategy.
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