Car owners being attacked with pepper spray, pellet gun by parts thieves: Vancouver police
A catalytic converter is seen in this photo provided by North Vancouver RCMP.
VANCOUVER -
A woman who confronted a thief in Vancouver is one of several vehicle owners who've been assaulted during such incidents.
The 41-year-old was pepper-sprayed earlier this week, police said, after she confronted two men as they stole her vehicle's catalytic converter.
It happened Monday morning, the Vancouver Police Department said in a news release Friday warning other drivers about the trend.
She confronted the men near Renfrew Street and East 1st Avenue. One sprayed her with bear spray.
Neither suspect is in custody.
And it's not the first time this has happened in the area. Police in several jurisdictions have issued advisories following an increase in the theft of catalytic converters across Metro Vancouver.
A catalytic converter is a part of a vehicle's exhaust system, generally accessed by thieves from underneath the vehicle. The precious metals inside make them a target for theft.
In the area this year there have been 14 such thefts during which the victim was assaulted, compared to just six in all of 2020.
VPD Const. Tania Visintin said, "Most of these incidents involve bear or pepper spray, but in one case, a pellet gun was used."
She said officers are using the assault in East Vancouver as a reminder to the public to call police if they witness this type of crime, rather than approaching and putting themselves at risk.
Witnesses to a crime in progress should call 911.
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