WETHERSFIELD, Conn. — In just two minutes, Lisa Belgrove and her family became victims of the ongoing catalytic converter thefts across Connecticut.
“They let the car down, put everything in. Take off,” said Lisa Belgrove. This time at her home in Wethersfield.
Her surveillance video captures the entire process.
“Three men had pulled up early in the morning but in full daylight, at 6:20 in the morning. Broke in my driver's side window, put my car in neutral, pushed it into the street, backed up close to it, jacked it up, cut off my catalytic converter, and they were out,” said Belgrove.
Catalytic converter thefts have been ravishing Connecticut communities. Most recently, five Connecticut residents were arrested in a catalytic converter sale ring.
“The fact that this happened to me, the day after that. It really shows me that it’s not resolved. It’s still going on. There are more rings and it seems like it is happening everywhere,” said Belgrove.
To make matters worse for this family, Belgrove said the car was just gifted to her daughter by her grandparent.
“She had just turned 16. It’s what she was practicing her license on and now we’re worried that repairs are going to be more than what the car is worth and we’re just kind of out of luck,” said Belgrove.
That’s because they only had liability insurance on the 2007 Honda Accord. She says that even if she is able to get the car fixed, the worry won’t go away.
“I know my car since it’s a Honda, it's a target so I’m worried about that too. So what if I fix it and they just come back and take it again,” said Belgrove.
Officials with Wethersfield police said that In the last month they have had three catalytic converter thefts.
DeAndria Turner is a multi-media journalist at FOX61 News. She can be reached at dturner@fox61.com.
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