Student Tribune
Important Notice from Public Safety
Catalytic converter thefts have become common all across the country. These
types of larcenies (auto stripping) are crimes of opportunity, and usually
occur in broad daylight. We have had several incidents on our campus
already this semester.
The M.O. of the suspect is to locate a target vehicle that is easy to
crawl under and is often parked in a parking lot adjacent to an empty parking
space. Suspects look for large parking lots with SUVs and trucks with
very little pedestrian traffic. The suspect will park next to the target
vehicle so to shield themselves from being noticed, will crawl under the target
vehicle and within a minute, cut away the catalytic converter and flee the
scene. In many cases the suspects are bold enough to simply pull up behind a
target vehicle and proceed to steal the converter.
This type of theft is low-risk/easy money for suspects, and therefore it is
becoming very common in the Rochester area. Suspects are not deterred by
populated areas because they can be in and out within seconds.
Please always be on the lookout for suspicious activity near
vehicles, and notify Public Safety immediately (292-2911 or X2911 on an
internal phone) if you suspect anything out of the ordinary.
Piro, Christopher
Public Safety
09/02/2022