Trio accused of stealing catalytic converters after Roosevelt crash

Three Bronx men are under arrest after police say they stole "multiple" catalytic converters from Long Island vehicles and crashed their stolen car into two parked vehicles early Wednesday morning in Freeport.

Nassau County police said officers on patrol on Babylon Turnpike in Roosevelt witnessed the crash, which occurred at about 2 a.m. on Lakeview Avenue and involved a gray Audi sedan matching the description of a vehicle suspected in recent catalytic converter thefts. After rendering medical aid to the trio of injured occupants, police said they determined the men were part of a crew that had stolen three catalytic converters from vehicles in nearby Roosevelt.

Police said First Precinct officers and detectives recovered those three stolen catalytic converters from the crashed car — and also found tools they said were used "to commit larcenies of multiple catalytic converters." Police did not detail the suspected additional thefts or their locations.

Police said the three men arrested suffered serious, but not life-threatening, injuries in the crash.

A fourth suspect in the Audi fled the crash scene on foot — and has not been apprehended.

Arrested were Jose Reyes, 24, Hector Otero, 22, and driver Jesus Rodriguez Brito, 23. Reyes and Otero were charged with third-degree unauthorized use of a vehicle, fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and possession of burglar tools. Brito was charged with third-degree criminal possession of stolen property, fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and possession of burglar tools.

Rodriguez Brito was released on probation with an electronic monitoring device, police said. All three defendants were given a return date of Nov. 3 at First District Court.

It was not immediately clear if the three men arrested are represented by counsel.

Industry expert groups like J.D. Power, AAA and auto parts chain stores estimate the average catalytic converter, which is part of a vehicle exhaust system and filters harmful gases from that exhaust, can cost between $300 and $1,200 to replace the part alone — and said some converters can run into the thousands of dollars to replace.

Police said catalytic converters can be removed from a vehicle exhaust system in a matter of minutes, sometimes less, by a thief using a reciprocating saw to cut through the metal.

A 2021 J.D. Power post online said the most expensive catalytic converter belonged to a Ferrari F430 ($3,770 each, and since it has two, that totals $7,540), followed by a Lamborghini Aventador ($3,120 each, for a total of $6,240 for the two it also requires). A Dodge Ram 2500 has the third-most expensive catalytic converter at $3,460 to replace, while a Ford F-250 pickup has a catalytic converter that costs $2,804.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”