Sioux Falls police may have taken a big step in solving the recent catalytic converter theft problem that has plagued the Sioux Empire.

On Saturday (March 13), police arrested three men tied to the theft of catalytic converters from a Sioux Falls salvage yard.

Dakota News Now is reporting that 19- year-old Chhabi Bhandari, 22-year-old Sager Bhattari, and 27-year-old Ram Chandera Rai were taken into custody after being caught stealing a number of catalytic converters from vehicles found inside a Sioux Falls salvage lot.

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According to Dakota News Now, the Game Fish and Parks Department received a tip on Saturday that two men were possibly fishing illegally in Sioux Falls in an area near north Cliff by the Big Sioux River. Representatives from the GFP went to check it out. Upon arriving, they found two men and a third man a short time later. The three men were found with a bag containing four catalytic converters inside. They also had a reciprocating saw in their possession.

Dakota News Now reports, after a further investigation, police discovered the three suspects had removed the converters from vehicles found in a nearby salvage yard in the area.

All three men are now facing burglary and theft charges resulting from the incident.

Police are now trying to determine if the three suspects arrested on Saturday are tied to a series of 40 to 50 additional catalytic converter thefts that have been reported in the Sioux Falls area over the past several weeks.

The precious metals found inside catalytic converters have made the car part of the popular item to steal lately due to the rising cost of metals like; rhodium, platinum, and palladium.

Source: Dakota News Now

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