>> GONE IN 60 NEWS FOR JAX I TEAM INVESTIGATION AS THIEVES ARE STEALING AN IMPORTANT
EXPENSIVE CAR PART IN JUST
ABOUT
A MINUTE.
>> AND IT’S CAUSING DRIVERS
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS EVERY TIME
CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFTS ARE
ON THE RISE DURING THE PANDEMIC
AND LOCAL DETECTIVES SAY
HUNDREDS HAVE BEEN STOLEN HERE
IN THE PAST 8 MONTHS, BUT YOU
CAN’T FIGHT BACK. I THINK
INVESTIGATOR VIC MICOLUCCI
SHOWS US HOW.
>> MONDAY MORNING JUST DID NOT SOUND RIGHT AS THE OLMOS BE AND THE TEAM FIRED UP THEIR FLEET
OF PEST CONTROL TRUCKS. HOW DID
YOU FIND OUT.
>> SOON AS WE START THIS TRUCK
SUNDAY MORNING. VERY VERY
NOISE AND
SOMEBODY SAID. >> SOME ALL RIGHT. YEAH, A CHECK OF THE SECURITY CAMERAS
AT THEIR SAINT AUGUSTINE ROAD
OFFICE SHOWS IT PROBABLY OR 10
MINUTES. I MEAN THEY’RE IN AND
OUT HERE 10 MINUTES HERE 10 CATALYTIC CONVERTER YEAH, I MEAN THEY LITERALLY JUST SAW
THEM HERE AND THERE ARE NOW 2
MASKED MAN WITH A SAW SNEAKING
UNDER THE TRUCKS AND CUTTING
OUT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS
EACH TRUCK HAS 2 OF THOSE THEY
HIT
5 TRUCKS TOTAL COSTING ABOUT 10
GRAND TO REPLACE. I MEAN THESE
PEOPLE ARE REALLY SMALL
BUSINESS ABSOLUTELY IT’S A
PROBLEM ACROSS OUR AREA AND THE
COUNTRY SPIKING DURING THE
PANDEMIC THIEVES TARGETING
WORK TRUCKS AND EVERYDAY
VEHICLES LIKE THIS ONE IN FRONT
OF US AND MARCO HOME.
>> IT LEADS TO BIG BILLS AT THE
AUTO SHOW.
>> AVERAGE REPAIR COST ON THAT
REPLACEMENT COST IS GOING TO BE
BETWEEN $1502,500.
>> SO WHAT IS A
CATALYTIC CONVERTER WELL IT
FILTERS THE AIR COMING OUT OF
AN EXHAUST USING PRECIOUS
METALS THAT LOOK LIKE A
HONEYCOMB RIGHT THERE. THEY
INCLUDE RHODIUM AND PLATINUM
RHODIUM FOR EXAMPLE HAS JUMPED
TO $27,000 AN OUNCE.
>> THEY CUT HERE AND THEN THEY
JUST ON BOTH OF THE YEAR.
SO THE 2 THAT WOULD BE
RIGHT HERE. BUT HERE TAKE THAT
UNITS OFTEN TAKE IT
IT CAN.
>> WE CHECKED AND SINCE THE
BEGINNING OF THE YEAR
JACKSONVILLE POLICE HAVE 224
REPORTS OF CATALYTIC CONVERTER
THEFTS CLAY HAS 56 SAINT
JOHN’S 17. >> WHAT WE’VE SEEN IS SOMETIMES YOU KNOW WILL MAKE ANYWHERE
BETWEEN 50 TO MAYBE $250 PER
GALLON CAN BIRD SPECIAL AGENT
TODD BLAIR WITH THE NATIONAL
INSURANCE CRIME BUREAU SAYS THE
THIEVES SELL THE CONVERTERS TO
SCRAP YARDS AND METAL
RECYCLERS.
>> BY THEN IT’S TOO LATE FOR
THE VICTIMS WHO EITHER HAVE TO
PAY OUT OF POCKET OR IF THEY
HAVE COMPREHENSIVE INSURANCE
SHELL OUT A BIG DEDUCTIBLE.
I DO WE STOP THIS PROBLEM.
IF YOU HAVE TO LEAVE IT OUT IN
THE DRIVEWAY, YOU KNOW IF YOU
HAVE SECURITY LIGHTS
AND STUFF.
>> SOME EXPERTS ARE TELLING
PEOPLE TO ENGRAVE A VIN NUMBER
ON IT OR SPRAY PAINTED A
BRIGHT COLOR. THERE’S ALSO A
GUARD YOU CAN BUY AND INSTALL
FOR A FEW
$100 NEWS 4 JAX CRIME ANALYST
KEN JEFFERSON SAYS DON’T
MAKE IT EASY. IT’S A CRIME OF
OPPORTUNITY YOU AS A VICTIM
HAVE TO DO IS HARDEN THAT
TARGET.
>> YOU’VE GOT THE HARNETT
TARGET IS THIS YOUR PROPERTY IF
IS
A COMMERCIAL.
>> TYPE PROPERTY KEEP IT FENCED
AND PUT AN ALARM ON THE FENCE
WITH SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS UP
AFTER A BIG INCONVENIENCE AND
REPAIR BILL THE TRUCKS ARE BACK
ON THE JOB.
>> THE MANAGER WITH THIS
MESSAGE FOR
THE PRICE.
>> WE’RE HIRING BIG PAY AN
HONEST DAY’S SALARY, YOU KNOW
GET A JOB.
♪
STARS DOWN YOU
KNOW JUST IF ANOTHER WAY LEGAL
WAY TO MAKE MONEY ALSO TO
MAKE MONEY.
>>TOM WILLS: POLICE SAY THEY
ARE CATCHING PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE
FOR SOME OF THESE CRIMES
RECENTLY JSO ARRESTED LAUREN
GLASS DEREK MINSHEW
AND JAMES DOUGLAS ALL 3 MEN ARE
CHARGED IN SEPARATE CATALYTIC
CONVERTER THEFTS AND DETECTIVES
SAY THEY’RE CLOSE TO MAKING
MORE ARRESTS. BUT THEY NEED
YOUR HELP AND THEY NEED PEOPLE
TO BE VIGILANT.
OTHERWISE TARIK MORE CATALYTIC
CONVERTERS COULD
BE GONE.
>>TARIK MINOR: IN 60 SECONDS IF
WE WERE DISCUSSING EARLIER THAT
CERTAIN PERSONAL CARS ARE BEING
TARGETED MORE THAN OTHERS, YEAH
THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT I
LEARNED IT’S INTERESTING WE
FOUND THAT HONDA ELEMENT SUVS
ARE A HOT TARGET RIGHT NOW THEY
HAVE 2 CATALYTIC CONVERTERS.
>>TOM WILLS: AND THEY’RE HIGHER
OFF
THE GROUND. THIEVES ALSO SEEM
TO BE PREYING ON TOYOTA