Two men suspected of stealing more than a dozen catalytic converters in Stevensville and Queenstown were charged with theft yesterday after undercover Queen Anne's County Sheriff's deputies said they caught them cutting the part from a decoy vehicle at a nearby park and ride.
In the past two months, sheriff's deputies have seen a spike in catalytic converter thefts at schools, shopping centers, and park and rides in the western part of the county, said Lt. Dale Patrick, a spokesman for the department.
Two weeks ago, numerous uniformed and undercover deputies started patrolling frequently hit areas, such as the Prime Outlets in Queenstown, the Route 8 Park and Ride just east of the Bay Bridge, and the Kent Island Shopping Center, said Queen Anne's County Sheriff Gary Hoffmann.
Because catalytic converter thefts happen quickly, they were having a hard time catching the thieves.
"It can take less than 2 minutes for them to remove the (catalytic converter) from the vehicle," Lt. Patrick said. "It was hit or miss."
Refusing to give up, the deputies brainstormed an idea to catch an exhaust-system thief in action.
"The guys got together and were able to get a car that would interest them (the thieves)," he said.
He would not elaborate, saying deputies plan to continue using the decoy vehicle.
Yesterday, deputies parked the decoy at the Route 8 Park and Ride in Stevensville and set up surveillance in the area. About 90 minutes into the sting, a Chevrolet pickup with two men inside drove into the lot and parked right next to the decoy, Lt. Patrick said.
Deputies watched as a man crawled underneath the vehicle. Meanwhile, the driver appeared to be acting as a lookout, "continually looking in every direction," he said.
After watching for a minute, the undercover crew got out of their unmarked patrol cars and confronted the two men. As the passenger slid out from under the decoy, deputies saw a battery-powered saber saw in his hand - a tool commonly used to remove exhaust systems.
Deputies searched the pickup and found more saw blades, a battery charger, and suspected heroin and drug paraphernalia, Lt. Patrick said.
The driver, David Wade Leager, 32, of Railroad Avenue in Centreville, and passenger Joseph A. Messaris, 30, of Log Cabin Road in Denton, were arrested at the scene and later questioned about other catalytic converter thefts throughout Queen Anne's County.
Both are charged with attempted theft over $500.
Deputies said they believe the men are connected to 13 additional catalytic converter thefts, including four at the Route 8 Park and Ride, two at the Prime Outlets in Queenstown, four at Chesapeake College, one at Bayside Elementary School in Stevensville, one at the Chester Park and Ride, and one at Kent Island Shopping Center. Those thefts took place between April 1 and Thursday.
Charges are pending an investigation by the Queen Anne's County State's Attorney regarding those crimes, deputies said.
Deputies said Mr. Leager and Mr. Messaris could be responsible for even more exhaust-system thefts at park and rides in Queen Anne's County, Lt. Patrick said.
Park and ride lots have become popular targets for catalytic converter thieves, because there are plenty of vehicles to choose from, Anne Arundel police have said.
In July, county police stepped up patrols in area park and rides and large parking lots after a spate of thefts of the part.
The theft of catalytic converters is occurring more often along the east coast, from New York to Georgia.
The part is a popular thing to steal because they have no serial numbers and they cannot be tracked, police have said.
Also, the converters contain high amounts of metals with increasing values that thieves sell at recycle centers.
Scrap dealers don't require identification from people who are selling them, police said.
