STOCKTON, Calif. — Nearly 300 catalytic converters were found in searches across San Joaquin County on Tuesday.
According to the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office, catalytic converter thefts have gone up in the last year. The Agriculture, Gangs and Narcotics Enforcement Team (AGNET) has been looking into the thefts and through their investigation, they found "a lot of information through street contacts," according to a Facebook post.
On August 17, at around 3:30 p.m., deputies conducted a traffic stop at the corner of Roosevelt Street and School Avenue in Stockton for "vehicle code violations," according to the post.
Deputies found cut catalytic converters in the vehicle and an investigation into them ensued, leading to search warrants in several locations across San Joaquin County.
During the search warrants, deputies found 281 cut catalytic converters, 150 Norco pills and $700.00 in U.S. currency, according to the post.
For context, San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office said that there have been about 338 catalytic converter thefts reported in the county since January 2020.
One of the residences that deputies searched "was horrifically uninhabitable and children had to be removed from it," according to the sheriff's office. Child Protective Services helped with the children's removal.
The San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office arrested 45-year-old Michael Anthony Blair on 278 counts of being a junk dealer or recycler who failed to keep the written record required by law, for buying or receiving stolen property, conspiracy and drug charges.
Four other people, Quorion Brown, Michael Runnels, Houston Brown and Corrina Verdugo, were all arrested for child endangerment and active warrants.
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