Columbus man accused of stealing more than 1,100 catalytic converters indicted on 42 charges

WHIO Staff
·2 min read

A man accused of stealing more than 1,100 catalytic converters was indicted on 42 additional charges this week, according to our news partners at WBNS in Columbus.

On March 4, Tommy Cox, of south Columbus was indicted on 32 felony counts including theft, receiving stolen property, money laundering and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, WBNS reported.

According to WBNS, a Franklin County grand jury indicted Cox on the following additional charges on Wednesday:

  • 16 counts of Receiving stolen property

  • 16 counts of Violation of metal scrapping laws

  • Four counts of Possessing criminal tools

  • One count of Tampering with evidence

  • One count Engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity

  • One count of Money laundering

  • One count of Having weapons while under disability

Cox was arrested following a nine-month investigation that led to one of the largest takedowns of an alleged catalytic converter thief, WBNS reported.

Police say Cox was running the catalytic converter theft ring tied to stolen catalytic converters in Franklin, Fairfield, Licking, Muskingum and Morrow counties.

Cox was allegedly paying people to cut catalytic converters as well as stealing them himself. Groveport police detective Josh Gilbert said he’s been able to confirm that Cox has scrapped 1,171 converters, according to WBNS.

Police say Cox was able to find some of his victims using an Apple Airtag, a $30 piece of technology that people may use to track their kids, pets or valuables, WBNS reported. Cox would allegedly place the tracking device under someone’s car and wait for them to park at another location.

Police said Cox’s home in south Columbus was heavily surrounded by surveillance cameras, and he used them to help escape capture at least once.

Three other people, Carl and Shannon Vance and Michael Butcher, were also charged in connection with the theft ring, WBNS reported.