Man Stealing Catalytic Converter Killed After Being Run Over By Car
A man in Sacramento, California was killed on Monday when he was run over by a car he was trying to steal a catalytic converter from, authorities said.
Officers responded around 4:45am to reports of a collision between a vehicle and a pedestrian along Timberlake Way in Sacramento.
Upon arrival, officers found the man on the ground, and he had sustained serious injuries.
He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The man was identified as 28-year-old Jose Adolfo Rangel, according to the Sacramento Bee's report from the Sacramento County Coroner's Office.
Investigators said they believe the suspect was tampering with the vehicle in an attempt to steal the catalytic converter before the collision took place.
Catalytic converters are a part of the exhaust system of vehicles that help control the vehicle's emissions. It contains rare metals that criminals can strip in seconds and sell to scrapyards for profit.
Replacing a stolen catalytic converter can cost anywhere between a few hundred dollars up to a few thousand dollars.
This investigation is still ongoing but so far, the released information is that Rangel died from a collision while attempting to steal the catalytic converter.
If you spot someone suspicious near your vehicle, police don't recommend approaching or confronting the individual but contacting authorities to investigate the situation.
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