Citizen Helps Catch Catalytic Converter Thief In Walnut Creek

WALNUT CREEK, CA — A Walnut Creek man was caught in the act of stealing a catalytic converter early Thursday morning in the city, police said.

At 3:48 a.m., a Walnut Creek resident called the police department and reported that someone was underneath a parked car with a flashlight in the 2700 block of Larkey Lane. The citizen reported they could also hear loud grinding noises.

Walnut Creek PD's graveyard Team-4 arrived in time to detain the responsible, Brian Dodds, 41, of Walnut Creek, police said in a statement on social media.

Dodds was arrested on suspicion of attempted theft in addition to multiple other charges ranging from burglary tools to being a felon in possession of firearms. He was booked at the Martinez jail. He remained in custody Friday without bail, jail records showed.

Police expressed gratitude for the community and its stakeholders "who consistently aid in the fight against crime."