A 35-year-old man is facing a break and enter charge after he was caught in possession of a pair of catalytic converters police believe he stole from a commercial compound on Saturday.
Investigators say officers spotted two men looking over cars at a fenced business in Thorold on Front Street North and Regent Street.
After climbing the fence, the patrolmen located one of the suspects hiding under a car. The man had two converters in his possession believed to have been taken from pair of cars in the lot missing that part.
Detectives say a possible second suspect is still at large and has not been identified.
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Converter thefts became a significant problem for police agencies in Southern Ontario in the latter half of 2019.
In July of 2020, Hamilton police laid 68 charges tied to a two-week campaign focused on the theft of converters in the city.
Project Garfield was launched with the help of businesses and residences that had been affected by the crime.
In the campaign, 27 arrests were made 45 provincial offence notices handed out.
Investigators say the thefts typically happen overnight at malls, educational facilities and other commercial areas where a significant number of cars are parked.
SUVs are the type of vehicles most victimized by the crime due to their higher elevation from the ground, say police.
Converters have a high market value due to their composition of valuable metals that can be easily sold to scrapyards.
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