Pair of accused ‘prolific’ catalytic converter thieves charged, Vancouver police say

Vancouver police say they’ve arrested a pair of accused “prolific” catalytic converter thieves.

Tyson Furst, 27, and Richard Mantler, 50, are facing one charge each of theft and of mischief, but police say they are hoping to link the men to additional crimes.

The Vancouver police property crime unit began investigating the men in July, who they believed were responsible for “numerous” catalytic converter thefts around the city.

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“In addition to the thefts, investigative techniques revealed these two suspects were also stealing license plates and using weapons, such as bear spray, during the commission of the offences,” VPD Const. Tania Visintin said in a media release.

Catalytic converter thefts have become a growing problem in Vancouver and around the Lower Mainland, with thieves targeting them for precious metals contained inside.

The number of reported thefts in the City of Vancouver more than doubled over the last year, surging from 204 in 2020 to 425 in the first 10 months of 2021 alone.

The VPD says officers responded to at least 18 such thefts in Vancouver alone in the last week.

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