Bucks County DA sets up hotline for catalytic converter theft ring victims

The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office has created a special hotline and online form for suspected county victims of one of the largest, and lucrative, alleged stolen catalytic converter theft rings in the Delaware Valley as they may be eligible for reimbursement for their loss.

Since the June 27 announcement of the breakup of the ring that police say operated for at least three years out of TDI Towing, a Philadelphia car yard, the DA’s Office has been inundated with calls about stolen catalytic converters, spokesman Manuel Gamiz said.

The calls were in response to DA Matt Weintraub, who stated at a news conference that individuals who had their catalytic converters stolen may be able to recoup the losses, if it can be shown TDI was responsible.

Authorities estimate the theft ring is responsible for 2,000 thefts of the valuable auto part in Bucks County alone.  The ring also stole converters in the surrounding areas of Philadelphia, Montgomery and Delaware counties, authorities said.

Here is how to find out if the theft of a catalytic converter in Bucks County could be tied to the TDI Towing case:

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What do authorities know about the TDI Towing catalytic converter theft ring

Ten adults and an unidentified 17-year-old were allegedly involved in the theft and resale of the stolen auto parts, including Michael Williams, a 52-year-old Philadelphia man and owner of TDI Towing in Philadelphia, which was the ring's alleged headquarters. TDI Towing also faces criminal charges.

The year-long investigation went before a Bucks County grand jury which recommended charges, and alleges Williams had been buying stolen catalytic converters, at an average of $300 each, since at least 2020.  Authorities believe the ring may be responsible for most of the catalytic converter theft in the five-county Philadelphia region.

At its peak, TDI Towing was paying a minimum of $10,000 a night to thieves selling stolen catalytic converters.  Williams then resold the parts for profit, authorities said.

The DA's office is in the process of calculating how much profit TDI Towing and Williams made in the resale, but authorities allege they know Williams was making at least an 8% markup on the stolen converters.

The average cost to replace a catalytic converter is $2,000, authorities said.

What you need to know 'A persistent problem': What you need to know about catalytic converter thefts on the rise in Bucks County

My catalytic converter was stolen, am I eligible for reimbursement?

Maybe.

The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office has set up a Catalytic Converter Theft Ring hotline at 215-340-8899.  The victim witness unit is managing and documenting information from callers and conducting follow up where necessary, Gamiz said.

Victims can also submit their theft information directly online by filling out a Catalytic Converter Intake Form, which is available at https://buckscountypa-commissioners.app.transform.civicplus.com/forms/34338. Information can be submitted through either option.  An investigator will reach out once the data has been processed.

Gamiz added that the hotline and restitution would only be available for victims who had their catalytic converters stolen in Bucks County, which authorities said was one of the ring’s target area.

“We’ve been getting many out-of-state calls, who are most likely not victims of this ring,” Gamiz added.

The DA’s office will attempt to verify a theft claim using evidence collected in the case including thousands of hours of surveillance footage, though officials said the process is expected to take time as the case moves through the courts.   Victims should provide some proof, such as a police report, that their converter was stolen between 2020 and 2023.

Once the claims are confirmed and submitted, a judge would have to order the defendants who are convicted in the case to pay restitution to known victims.

What makes catalytic converters valuable on the blackmarket

Catalytic converters filter out harmful byproducts in exhaust gasses reducing harmful emissions and improving car performance using the metals rhodium, platinum and palladium, which are valued at between $1,000 and $7,000 an ounce, Weintraub said.

Typically, the auto parts contains two grams or less of rhodium and no more than seven grams of platinum and palladium, authorities said. The metals can can broken down and harvested from the converters and sold for other uses.

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This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Catalytic converter theft ring hotline set up by Bucks County DA