By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY
Salina Post
Police are investigating the recent theft of catalytic converters from two locations in Salina.
Sometime between May 8 and Tuesday, someone cut and stole the catalytic converter from a Ford F250 van belonging to the Salina Post Office, 211 E. Ash Street, Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester said this morning. Damage and loss is estimated at $1,500.
Forrester said there possibly is surveillance video from the area.
Additionally, sometime on Tuesday, someone attempted to cut the catalytic converter from a 2008 Dodge Ram 1500 belonging to Tox-Eol Pest Management, Inc., 417 S. Clark Street. While not successful in stealing this catalytic converter, the thief did manage to poke a hole in the oil pan, causing all the oil to drain from the pickup, Forrester said. Damage was estimated at $1,800.
The thief, however, was successful in removing the catalytic converter from a 2008 Ford F150. In the process, the thief punctured the pickup, causing fluids to leak out, Forrester said. Loss and damage was estimated at $1,800.
Multiple surveillance videos from the area of the Tox-Eol theft and damage show a dark sedan, Forrester said.
He said police were not sure whether the thefts at the two locations were related.
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In a legal opinion on May 26, 2021, Kansas Attorney General noted that "Catalytic converters are covered by the Scrap Metal Theft Reduction Act, so transactions involving their purchase by scrap metal dealers are regulated and must be reported to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation database."