Catalytic converter stolen from RV in Vancouver storage

VANCOUVER Wash. (KPTV) - Catalytic converters continue to be in issue regardless of the laws in place in Oregon and Washington.

On May 1 around midnight, Clark County deputies were called after a security team saw multiple people mulling around inside the fence of an RV storage facility in Vancouver.

Investigators believe the thieves broke in by cutting a hole through a fence. FOX 12  spoke with a RV owner, Jason, who says his catalytic converter was stolen and he will have to pay thousands to get it fixed.

“Over two grand it’s going to cost me to get it fixed. The money that you have to replace this catalytic converter or any vehicle much less a motorhome, it’s going to turn around and setback doing anything,” says Jason.

By the time deputies arrived, the thieves escaped through the same hole and left behind a saw blade. Another storage facility a couple miles away is dealing with the same problem. Thieves also cut a hole through the fence to steal a catalytic converter just last month.

“Those people are obviously extremely understanding just because they know it’s not our fault and know we’re doing everything we can. But there’s obviously a lot of frustration and frustration for us too because we’d like to do everything we can to keep everyone happy and protect everyone’s belongings,” says Trenton, Facility Manager.

Trenton says he and his team have to get creative and find new ways to protect their facility. Jason says the Sheriff’s Department and Vancouver PD are so short-staffed that they can’t do much and that their hands are tied. He plans on putting an alarm system on his RV once it’s fixed but says this just adds more to people already going through hard time.

“What little that they do have to go out and do things without having to spend major amounts of money, that’s taking away from them. That’s destroying people in a way, that’s destroying their hopes, their expectations to go out and do with the kids and their families to be there,” says Jason.

No arrests have been made but Clark County Sheriffs’ Office say they will follow up on any reports they receive.

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