DA busts catalytic converter theft ring at towing company

According to the Bucks County District Attorney, TDI Towing, a Pennsylvania tow truck company, was nabbed for allegedly running a multi-million dollar “organised criminal enterprise that specialised in the theft of catalytic converters throughout the Delaware Valley region.”

Allegedly, TDI would pay criminals who brought stolen catalytic converters to the tow yard at least $10,000 per evening. “On some nights, there would [be] 30 transactions with some thieves showing up more than once,” the DA stated in a release. “TDI Towing paid $1,000 for a single converter on several occasions.”

According to the DA, TDI typically paid $300 per unit. According to reports, this continued for three years, with 175 catalytic converters arriving on average each week.

Further, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland ordered the execution of 32 search warrants and the making of 21 arrests as part of a nationwide bust in November 2022, suggesting that a catalytic converter theft criminal wave had swept the country since the start of the pandemic. In February, both houses of Congress submitted legislation that would serialise catalytic converters, strengthen the penalty for their theft, and otherwise address the claimed disruption of a $100 million theft ring.

The DA stated that because to supply chain concerns, the market prices for the three primary metals used in catalytic converters—rhodium, platinum, and palladium—increased significantly during the epidemic.

The Bucks County DA “began to focus not only on individual thieves, or ‘cutters,’ but also the organisations or businesses purchasing the stolen” parts since the theft of catalytic converters became so bad, according to the DA.

The DA claims to have video of a stolen catalytic converter being brought to TDI at night while it is still hot. According to the authorities, TDI looked to be open for business during the day.

Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub described the footage as “too hot to handle.”

Although we have noticed an apparent increase in shady towing practises and prices, our analysis of around a dozen incidents revealed no evidence of thefts similar to these.

“TDI Towing was registered with the state as Diversified Towing & Recovery Inc., but was also listed in business documents as TDI Inc. and Tow Decisions,” claims the DA.

The majority of those accused, according to the district attorney, were either TDI owner Michael Williams’ employees or relatives, and he was charged with felonies. The DA claimed that one of TDI’s suspected “cutters,” who worked for the company during the day, had “several open warrants” for stealing catalytic converters in Bucks County and “would always flee back to Philadelphia when police attempted to stop him.” Another TDI employee had been found guilty of stealing 22 catalytic converters, but he later skipped the sentencing hearing.

The DA claimed that in one instance on June 16, 2021, thieves connected to TDI were apprehended while attempting to steal a catalytic converter, but the getaway driver drove towards the detective, slammed into a parked car, and fled. The detective “would have been pinned between the two vehicles if the detective had not moved,” the DA noted.

Following a roughly 12-month investigation, the DA has charged TDI along with 10 adults and one child.

“TDI Towing and its employees were charged with corrupt organisations, criminal conspiracy, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, theft by unlawful taking, theft of catalytic converter, theft by receiving stolen property, possession of an instrument of crime, and criminal use of a communication facility,” the press release continued.

Richard Page is the only defendant who hasn’t been charged, and the county is trying to find him. They mention that Page’s left hand is missing fingers. If you have any information, call the Bucks County Detectives at 215-348-6354 or visit www.blogtweets.com.