A Los Angeles neighborhood is on alert after home security cameras captured three masked suspects stealing a catalytic converter from a parked Toyota Prius in less than four minutes.
The footage shows a white BMW SUV pulling up alongside the Prius just before 4 a.m. on Sept. 16. The masked crew, dressed in hooded sweatshirts, appeared unconcerned by nearby security cameras and used their vehicle’s high beams to light up the car before getting to work.
One of the suspects can be seen checking underneath a second SUV parked directly behind the Prius before apparently deciding to move on. The crew then removed the Prius’s catalytic converter and sped off, the whole operation taking roughly four minutes.
William Fiero, an electrician who lives across the street, recorded the theft on his home security system. Fiero said he was targeted two years ago when thieves stole his car, its catalytic converter and a set of power tools.
“It’s funny how the cars start disappearing at the same time these guys find your neighborhood,” Fiero told Eyewitness News. “So it’s first the catalytic converters and then extra parts for other vehicles. So who’s getting these catalytic converters—the recycling plant or the mechanics?”
Catalytic converters are frequent targets for thieves because they contain platinum, palladium and rhodium—precious metals that can be removed quickly and sold for scrap.
“They get in there so quick and get out so quick, but the fact that they’re willing to kill for recycling metal, it’s just… they put no value on human life,” Fiero said.
The risks tied to these thefts have turned deadly before. In May 2024, former “General Hospital” actor Johnny Wactor was shot and killed in Downtown Los Angeles after he interrupted thieves who were targeting his vehicle’s catalytic converter.
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