GUILFORD, Conn. — Catalytic converter thefts are on the rise across the state. Saturday afternoon, in Guilford, a woman who witnessed one of these crimes in progress narrowly escaped serious injury at the hands of the perpetrators.
Saturday at approximately 3 p.m., the parking lot of the Central Hospital for Veterinary Medicine, on the always busy Boston Post Road, had some unexpected visitors. Tthe witness to the criminal activity spoke exclusively to FOX61 Monday afternoon on the condition of anonymity.
The witness, who took pictures of a silver Honda Accord, which had stolen plates and damage to the left front driver side and rear passenger side, told FOX61 she knew something wasn't right as she sat in her car in the parking lot.
"I saw this car pull up to a car that I thought was a car of someone that worked there and I saw them start jacking up the car and I thought oh that seems little strange," the woman said.
So she decided to call the front desk at the Central Hospital for Veterinary Medicine to let them know.
"Then I saw them pull out the, you know, the typical saw that they use and I thought oh gosh no this is not good," she said.
The witness took some pictures of this activity and then, in about 90 seconds, the crooks were done.
"And they looked and they saw me taking pictures and they saw me making the phone call so they drove by my car very close," she said.
The perpetrators then rolled down their windows and shouted at her before driving away but they came back.
"They jumped out of the car and just started smashing the windows with myself in my animal in the car," the witness said.
She and her pet had been sitting in the car waiting to be called in for an appointment. Now, she was ducking for cover.
"My inclination should have been to put my car in gear and drive away but I just I was sort of so stunned by the whole thing that I didn't even entertain that," she shared.
Police said this was among a series of catalytic converters stolen over the weekend from Guilford businesses.
"We ourselves are going to extend our security camera system and or lighting," said Melinda Connors, a representative of the Central Hospital for Veterinary Medicine. "hat is something that we are diligently working on now."
If you witness something like this happening, police ask that you please call 911 immediately to report the crime in progress and encourage you to maintain a safe distance and let officers handle any interaction with the suspects.
Tony Terzi is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at tterzi@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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