CLEVELAND (WJW) - CrimeStoppers of Cuyahoga County is offering up to $5,000 for information that leads to the arrest and prosecution of the suspects involved in stealing 35 catalytic converters off of Cleveland Metropolitan School Buses.
The catalytic converters were stolen from CMSD buses late Sunday or early Monday. The buses are kept in a secured lot off of East 49th Street in Cuyahoga Heights.
“Catalytic converters are a high theft item today. Unfortunately, the people that lose them lose a lot of money. They are very expensive to replace and, of course, you then don't have your car or, in this case, your school buses for several days,” said Captain Richard McIntosh of CrimeStoppers of Cuyahoga County. “This is ridiculous because the kids are the ones that are suffering, and the citizens who pay taxes because they are very expensive to replace.”
CMSD officials say each catalytic converter costs the district about $2,000.
Catalytic converters are emissions control devices and contain precious metals that are worth thousands of dollars.
Anyone with information on the thefts is asked to call Det. David Lukas at the Cuyahoga Heights Police Department at 216-640-2045 or CrimeStoppers of Cuyahoga County at 216-252-7463.