Catalytic Converter Theft in Broad Daylight at Bus Company
Dreams Transportation's driver watched as two people stole a catalytic converter from her bus in mid-June—the third theft from the company's fleet that same day.
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A Dreams Transportation driver experienced a brazen catalytic converter theft in broad daylight on June 15, as the company's owner says the problem has spiralled into a crisis.
At around 10:20 a.m., the driver was parked in a busy northeast Calgary lot between runs, sitting in the back of her bus reading. She heard noise underneath and looked out to find two people in action: one woman as a decoy on her cellphone in front of the vehicle, another person underneath making two cuts. As soon as the driver noticed the woman, she yelled. The woman yelled "Police"—apparently their code word to escape—and the pair tossed the converter into a waiting white Honda CR-V and sped away.
Dreams Transportation owner Will Garth said this was the third catalytic converter stolen from his buses in a single day. "Right in the daylight with all the people around ya, it's a daunting kind of thing," he said.
The company, which operates buses transporting children with disabilities to school programs and the children's hospital, has lost approximately 120 catalytic converters over the years—costing thousands of dollars. The suspect vehicle is described as a white Honda CR-V with Alberta licence plate CYT-3101.
The company has turned over surveillance footage to Calgary police. Anyone with information is asked to contact Calgary police at 403-266-1234 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.