CA Suspects Arrested In National Catalytic Converter Theft Ring Bust

CALIFORNIA — In the midst of a nationwide takedown of a catalytic converter theft ring, 21 people were arrested, including three suspects in California.

Those arrested are suspected to have lead and been associated with a stolen catalytic crime ring that is headquartered in New Jersey. DG Auto Parts is marketed on its website as the "leading buyer" of catalytic converters.

The trio tied to California were identified as brothers Tou Sue Vang, 31, and Andrew Vang, 27, and Monica Moua, 51. All three are from Sacramento, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

"According to court documents... [the three California suspects] allegedly operated an unlicensed business from their personal residence in Sacramento where they bought stolen catalytic converters from local thieves and shipped them to ... New Jersey for processing," a news release from the DOJ said.

"The Vang family allegedly sold over $38 million in stolen catalytic converters to DG Auto," according to the DOJ.

Arrests, searches and seizures took place not only in California, but in New Jersey, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Minnesota, New York, Nevada, North Carolina and Virginia, according to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.

The 21 total arrests happened across five states. All have been arrested and/or charged for their roles in the conspiracy that extended from October 2019 to October 2022, according to the DOJ.

“This national network of criminals hurt victims across the country,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray in a statement. "They made hundreds of millions of dollars in the process—on the backs of thousands of innocent car owners."

Catalytic converters are a crucial emissions component of vehicles because they convert 90 percent of harmful emissions safer gases for the environment. They are a hot commodity for thieves since they contain valuable precious metals such as platinum, palladium and rhodium.

“With California’s higher emission standards, our community has become a hot bed for catalytic converter theft,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California.

Last year, about 1,600 catalytic converters were stolen in California each month, according to Talbert.

SEE ALSO: 550+ CA Bills On Newsom's Desk, Including 2 That Crack Down On Surging Catalytic Converter Thefts

The Golden state accounts for some 37 percent of all catalytic converter theft claims across the U.S., he said, adding that the state has indicted nine people at the "core of catalytic theft" in California.

The black-market price for these converts can be above $1,000 each, according to the department.

"They can be stolen in less than a minute," Department of Justice officials wrote in a statement. "Additionally, catalytic converters often lack unique serial numbers, VIN information, or other distinctive identification features, making them difficult to trace to their lawful owner. Thus, the theft of catalytic converters has become increasingly popular because of their value, relative ease to steal, and their lack of identifying markings."

Last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two bills to limit catalytic converter theft. One is meant to prohibit people from buying used catalytic converters from anyone other than specified sellers. The second aims to require recyclers to detail records on acquired parts.

— Patch Editor Megan VerHelst contributed to this report.

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