A law enforcement crackdown on vehicle catalytic converter thefts in and around Lake Elsinore led to three arrests and the issuance of a dozen citations for alleged unlicensed business activity and other offenses, authorities said Wednesday.
The daylong operation was conducted by the Riverside County Vehicle Dismantler Industry Strike Team, composed of sheriff’s deputies and inspectors from the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
The team has been active since the start of the year in response to a surge in catalytic converter thefts throughout the region and state.
Converters are used to filter engine emissions to pare down the amount of pollutants discharged by cars and trucks. The devices, located on the underside of vehicles, average about $1,000 apiece.
During Tuesday’s operation, multiple auto repair garages, muffler shops, smog check facilities and recycling centers were subject to unannounced inspections, resulting in 12 citations at 12 commercial enterprises for alleged California Vehicle Code violations and unlicensed business operations, according to sheriff’s Sgt. Jeff Reese.
Law enforcement personnel additionally arrested 47-year-old Raymond Fernandez, 46-year-old Victoria Kirkpatrick and 39-year-old Kellie Nelson — all of Lake Elsinore, Reese said.
Fernandez was booked into the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta on suspicion of being in possession of a controlled substance and probation violations. He posted $5,000 bail and was released a short time later.
Kirkpatrick was booked into the same facility for a misdemeanor traffic warrant but posted a $15,000 bond and was quickly released.
Nelson was booked into the Murrieta jail on suspicion of being in possession of illegal drugs. She posted $5,000 bail and was freed Tuesday evening.
Additional sting operations are planned in the coming months, according to sheriff’s officials.
Anyone with information regarding converter thefts was asked to call the sheriff’s Lake Elsinore Station at 951-245-3300, or DMV Investigations at 916-229-0167.