Waukesha school bus catalytic converter thefts; transportation disrupted
Waukesha school bus catalytic converters stolen
Waukesha police are investigating the theft of approximately 20 catalytic converters from a local school bus company, which occurred overnight.
WAUKESHA, Wis. - Waukesha police are investigating the theft of approximately 20 catalytic converters from a local school bus company, which occurred overnight.
As a result, several school bus routes were delayed or canceled on Thursday, June 5.
Catalytic converter thefts
What we know:
Police say the theft was discovered early Thursday morning, June 5, just prior to the start of scheduled student transportation services.
The bus company was able to get 17 extra buses for the afternoon routes. That was enough to fill all but two routes.
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What they're saying:
"This type of crime not only impacts property but directly affects the daily lives of students and families. We are dedicating a significant amount of investigative resources to identify those responsible and bring them to justice," Waukesha police said.
The catalytic converters were stolen from parked buses located at First Student Inc., located on Arcadian Avenue near Eugene Court. The company is the main transportation provider for the School District of Waukesha.
Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and seeking any witnesses or individuals with information related to this crime.
School District of Waukesha statement
What they're saying:
"The School District of Waukesha became aware earlier this morning that multiple First Student buses were compromised overnight by having their catalytic converters stolen. We have worked in partnership with First Student to inform our families of the bus route shortages to the best of our ability. We will work throughout the day to figure out what transportation will look like this afternoon and moving forward."
More reaction
Local perspective:
Matthew Leskinen with Brothers in Christ Automotive sees it all the time: catalytic converters ripped from cars and SUVs. But he’s never heard of anything like this.
Leskinen said a typical "cat," as he calls it, is worth between $200 and $1,000. He said they’re made with precious metals, like gold and platinum.
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That's why some of his customers take extra precaution by building metal cages around them.
"It’s basically the catalyst that converts harmful exhaust gases into safe exhaust gases so they aren’t harmful to the atmosphere," Leskinen said. "There are some crazy people out there just trying to make cheap, easy money."
17-year-olds Giuseppe Storniolo and Arron Williams live nearby. They got to school on Thursday with no problems.
"It would be ridiculous to get 20 of them over the fence there and back," Storniolo said.
"A whole fleet just couldn’t get to school," Williams said. "It affects education."
Report suspicious activity
What you can do:
No arrests have been made.
Anyone who may have seen suspicious activity in the area overnight, or who has relevant information, should contact Detective Chris Bloom at 262-524-3785.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by the Waukesha Police Department.