Merced detectives find $200K in stolen vehicles and auto parts at recycling business

The property owner of a recycling business in Merced was arrested Tuesday after Merced Police Department detectives located stolen vehicles and auto parts.

About 10 a.m., detectives arrived at Fat Cat Recycling located at 371 Highway 59 for a compliance check, according to Merced Police Det. Christian Lupian.

During the check, detectives located stolen property which included a dump truck, a Case forklift, trailer as well as stolen catalytic converters and an air compressor at the facility. The dump truck is valued at $104,000, and the total value of the stolen property recovered from the business was more than $200,000, according to a Merced Police Department social media post.

Authorities said the vehicle identification number or VIN numbers, had been scratched off of the trailer and forklift.

According to Lupian, catalytic converter thefts are a big issue in the Merced area and it’s difficult to track down stolen catalytic converters and determine what vehicles they belong to.

“We try our best every day to come do compliance checks. Check with our victims, do follow up investigations. So we do work on these every day but it is very difficult to identify what catalytic converters belong to what vehicles,” Lupian said.

According to police, thieves steal vehicles’ catalytic converters, which contain precious metals like palladium, and take them to recycling centers. Recyclers pay anywhere from $200 to $500 per converter.

“In turn they are the ones that recycle them and maybe get more money out of it, maybe twelve to thirteen hundred dollars per catalytic converter,” Lupian said.

There is a current investigation in Stanislaus County after about $700,000 worth of stolen property was located at the same location a few months ago, according to Lupian.

The owner of the property, identified as Carl Means, 40, was arrested on suspicion of felony possession of a stolen vehicle and stolen vehicle without owners’ consent, according to jail records. Anyone with information or anyone who believes they are the owner of the stolen property located by police is asked to call Lupian at 209-769-8721.

Police said they have been in contact with the Midas location on V Street in Merced, which offers the service of etching VIN or serial numbers on catalytic converters by appointment. According to Lupian, this makes it easier for police to return the catalytic converter to the vehicle owner in the event of a theft.

This story was originally published October 26, 2021 at 6:25 PM.