Justice Department announces takedown of catalytic converter theft ring - https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-takedown-nationwide-catal

Justice Department announces takedown of catalytic converter theft ring - https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-takedown-nationwide-catalytic-converter-theft-ring https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-... // https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33444851 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33444851 (405 points // 468 comments) > Federal, state, and local law enforcement partners from across the United States executed a nationwide, coordinated takedown today of leaders and associates of a national network of thieves, dealers, and processors for their roles in conspiracies involving stolen catalytic converters sold to a metal refinery for tens of millions of dollars. > ... > They knowingly purchased stolen catalytic converters and, through a “de-canning” process, extracted the precious metal powders from the catalytic core. DG Auto sold the precious metal powders it processed from California and elsewhere to a metal refinery for over $545 million. Ok, not quite melted down, but reduced to rather base components. They are not reused in the same form.