MANTECA, Calif. — Police said two Stockton men were arrested after being caught in the act of stealing the catalytic converter off a vehicle in Manteca over the weekend.
Manteca Police officers responded just after 5 a.m. on Sunday after a neighbor called reporting a possible theft in progress. Investigators say officers arrived and interrupted the suspects as they had the vehicle on a jack, and were attempting to remove the catalytic converter.
When the officers searched the suspects’ vehicle, they said they found another catalytic converter in the backseat.
The two suspects were identified as 31-year-old Jose Arciniega and 42-year-old Vanyouthai Khamavone.
Both men were booked into the San Joaquin County Jail on complaints of conspiracy, possession of stolen property, possession of burglary tools, and tampering with a vehicle. Bail was set at $135,000 for both suspects.
In a statement about the crime, Manteca Police said, in part, “Catalytic converter theft continues to plague our city as well as numerous jurisdictions throughout the state. There are a number of steps you can take to help us catch those responsible including having the vehicle's license plate number etched onto the converter and parking in areas with good security video coverage.”
