New West police officers arrested an alleged catalytic converter thief after a foot chase through Moody Park in the middle of the night.
The New Westminster Police Department received a call to attend a parking lot in the 800 block of Sixth Avenue at about 3:50 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 28, after a witness saw what they believed to be someone cutting a catalytic converter off a vehicle.
“When officers arrived, witnesses pointed them in the direction the suspect. Officers located the suspect in Moody Park and the suspect then fled from police,” said a NWPD press release. “After a brief foot chase, the suspect was arrested without incident.”
Catalytic converters are part of a vehicle’s exhaust system and are sought by thieves for the precious metals found inside them, stated the NWPD.
“We’d like to thank the witnesses who played a key role in this suspect being located and arrested,” NWPD spokesperson Sgt. Justine Thom said in the news release. “If anyone knows about catalytic converter thefts in the city, please get in touch with NWPD. As the value of the precious metals contained within the catalytic converters continues to increase, so do the number of thefts of these devices.”
According to Thom, the suspect was found in possession of two catalytic converters.
The New Westminster Police Department strongly recommends people witnessing a catalytic converter theft in progress to call 911.
Alexander Walcroft, a 31-year-old Surrey resident, has been charged with: theft under $5,000; mischief under $5,000; possession of break-in instruments; assault of peace officer; and resist arrest.
