3 arrested in theft of 34 catalytic converters from Salem dealership

Tips from the public helped state police identify three men who they believe were involved with the theft of 34 catalytic converters worth $50,000 from vehicles at a Salem RV dealer in October, according to court papers.

Troopers said several people reported recognizing Kenneth L. Knight Jr., 43, of Jeannette, as a man seen in surveillance images from Valero Century RV, just north of Delmont on Route 66. The images were released to the public in an effort to identify suspects after the Oct. 2 theft.

Knight was arrested this week and was being held at the Westmoreland County Prison on $50,000 bail. Also arrested were Tyler R. Williams, 22, and Roger N. Williams, 61, both of Penn, who are free on their own recognizance. All three face theft, receiving stolen property and criminal mischief charges.

A catalytic converter is a device that looks like a small muffler that is designed to convert the environmentally hazardous exhaust emitted by a vehicle’s engine into less harmful gases. It typically takes a couple minutes to cut off but can be a costly repair.

Troopers said two of the suspects were seen on surveillance video around 2 a.m. using a reciprocating saw underneath a fleet of Schwan’s Ford and GM trucks parked on the property and putting the catalytic converters in a large bag. Valero’s website says its service department handles maintenance and repairs for vehicles from the grocery home delivery company.

After state police released surveillance images to the public, tips began to pour in identifying Knight as a man seen leaning against a Schwan’s truck during the thefts, according to court papers. Friends, acquaintances and family members of Knight told investigators he previously talked about stealing catalytic converters from the dealership and that he worked with Tyler Williams, police said.

A witness told investigators Knight showed her a photograph of a pile of catalytic converters being stored in Roger Williams’ garage and that he bragged about how much money he was going to make on them, according to court papers. Another witness said the items were sold for $4,000.

Police said they seized clothing from Knight’s residence that matched what was worn by one of the suspects in surveillance images.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau, a nonprofit devoted to combating insurance fraud and vehicle theft, and local police have reported that catalytic converter thefts have increased significantly nationwide since the pandemic started in March 2020. Manufacturers use precious metals such as platinum, palladium or rhodium, the values of which have increased significantly in recent years.

Police have said such thefts typically rise along with those prices.

It was unclear from court papers if Tyler Williams and Roger Williams are related. Their preliminary hearings are set for Aug. 16 and Knight’s is scheduled for July 11.