Plea in catalytic converter thefts spotlights larger problem
Jun. 2—While a New Florence man was sentenced to prison and ordered to pay restitution this week for his role in a catalytic converter theft ring, a salesman at one of the dealerships targeted said there's little more that could have been done to prevent the crime.
William J. Glover III, 26, pleaded guilty to felony charges of theft, receiving stolen property and criminal mischief in connection with the scheme and was ordered to serve up to 23 months in prison and pay nearly $140,000 in restitution. Police said Glover and three others stole catalytic converters from unoccupied vehicles in Westmoreland and Indiana counties between Oct. 10 and Nov. 8.
Police said the group stole at least 10 catalytic converters, a component of a vehicle's emissions control system that reduces the amount of pollution from the tailpipe, from used vehicles on the sales lot at Hillview Motors in Hempfield.
Catalytic converters bring big money on the black market because they are made of platinum, palladium and rhodium. Investigators said the metals could generate as much as $27,000 an ounce on the black market, and have noticed an uptick in thefts in the region over the past few years.
Sales manager Nick Schimizzi said all of the vehicles damaged were parked behind a fence topped with barbed wire. Surveillance video helped police identify the thieves, he said.
"Short of building a taller fence, I'm not sure what we could have done. All of the vehicles were in a protected area," Schimizzi said.
Glover was ordered to pay $17,500 in restitution to Hillview. The dealership incurred more than $45,600 in damages as a result of the thefts. Insurance covered more than $28,000 of the costs, according to court records.
Glover also was ordered to repay Fastenal Co., a manufacturing and construction supply company in Lower Burrell, more than $10,000 to cover costs related to thefts of catalytic converters from two trucks parked lot in front of the business garage last fall.
"We didn't notice it right away, but when we tried to start one of the trucks we heard it," associate Josh Truckley said. "We heard this was going on around here. We talked about putting cameras outside of the building."
As part of a negotiated plea deal, Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Tim Krieger ordered Glover to serve an additional five years of probation. The two most serious offenses, including a racketeering charge, were dismissed by prosecutors.
Also charged in the case related to Glover were Vince Lamar Skillings, 44, of Derry; Debbra Lynn McAdams, 56, of Blairsville; and Steven Raymond Aukerman, 27, of Blairsville.
McAdams planned the thefts and drove the getaway vehicle, police said. She later confessed to her involvement and identified Skillings, Aukerman and Glover as participating in the scheme, police said. She told police that Aukerman and Glover cut the catalytic converters from the vehicles while Skillings serves as a lookout, investigators said.
Their cases are still pending, according to court dockets.
This year, charges were filed against three Chicago men accused of stealing catalytic converters from dozens of businesses and individuals in Westmoreland, Allegheny and Fayette counties. During a news conference in January, District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli said those thefts were part of a larger operation to harvest and sell precious metals.
Rich Cholodofsky is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Rich by email at rcholodofsky@triblive.com or via Twitter .
