Catalytic converters stolen from two Columbia County businesses
Deputies are searching for a man they say is responsible for stealing multiple catalytic converters from businesses in Columbia County.
Multiple converters were stolen from Newsom Electric on Landrum Court and Howell Electric on Wheeler Road.
‘He was just my Daddy’: Family, friends remember Columbia County Judge Michael Annis
Developer proposes two-story Columbia County commercial strip across from West Lake
Officials said the man dropped off two other men, who cut off the catalytic converters and later returned to pick them up.
Catalytic converters reduce the toxic gas and pollutants from a vehicle's engine. However, they are made with precious metals and can be stolen in less than a minute. The black-market price for catalytic converters can be above $1,000 each, according to the Department of Justice.
On Nov. 2, the DOJ announced it executed a nationwide takedown of a catalytic converter theft ring. The converters were sold to a metal refinery for tens of millions of dollars.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Catalytic converters stolen from multiple Columbia County businesses
