Two thieves have been arrested for 61 thefts of catalytic converters in Northern California. Fortunately, the police were able to find the culprits. Indeed, the investigation took five months. Dao Xiong, 43, is from Elk Grove. Shaneel Lal, 37, is from Sacramento. Both were arrested for the thefts.

The Davis Police Department has announced that Xiong and Lal have both been booked at the Yolo County Jail. Of course, they were booked for 61 counts of grand theft. They are suspected to have been stealing catalytic converters from vehicles in Sacramento, Napa, El Dorado, and Yolo Counties.

Who Are The Thieves?

Officials stated that Xiong and Lal had previously been arrested on theft-related charges. However, both men continued to commit the same crimes after being temporarily released. The fear of prosecution didn’t stop the men from stealing either. A spokesperson for the Davis police stated,

“Each time after their release, it is suspected that they immediately continued stealing catalytic converters in violation of their temporary release conditions. Catalytic converter theft is a national problem because they contain precious metals that can be recycled and sold, making it a profitable crime for thieves. Although California has laws that make it harder for thieves to recycle here, the parts are often quickly removed from the country and sold overseas, making it difficult to track where they are going.”

Multiple law enforcement departments have been working on the investigation including the Davis, Elk Grove, Sacramento, Napa, Folsom, Rocklin, Rancho Cordova, Fremont, Antioch, and Chico police departments. Other departments include Sacramento County and the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Offices.

Both suspects will remain in custody and their bail is set at $250,000 each.

Protecting Your Car

There is a huge increase in car theft. Therefore police officials are asking the public to call 911 if there is anything suspicious. They are urging owners to protect their vehicles by having a cage installed around the vehicle’s catalytic converter. Also, police recommend etching the vehicle’s license plate number and the vehicle identification number on the catalytic converter. This will allow converters to be traced back to the registered owner. Additionally, they suggest that vehicles be parked in areas that are visible and well lit.