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OAKLAND (KPIX) – The victim of a filmed catalytic converter theft said Friday that she was at home when the thief decided to stop traffic and steal the auto part right outside her front door.
“It’s absolutely shocking! You don’t think things are going to happen in front of your house when you are at home, â€Mary Elliott told KPIX. “It’s so crazy, it was a few meters from me. I was working from home.
The video was captured by Monique Llamas and her husband. They said they were driving Outlook and 73rd Avenue in Oakland around 1 p.m. Wednesday when a GMC Yukon XL in front of them suddenly pulled up.
“All of a sudden they stopped,†Llamas said. “We called the police right away. “
Llamas’ husband pulled out his cell phone and began recording when they saw a passenger get out of the SUV and crawl under a green Honda CRV with a tool in his hand.
In less than 30 seconds, the man emerges from under the Honda holding a catalytic converter. He climbs back into the SUV and takes off.
Fearing for their safety, the llamas said they did not get out of their car or tell the suspect anything, but knew their video could potentially help investigators locate the thieves. Llamas said she was surprised at how quickly the suspect was able to remove the catalytic converter and escape.
The next day, Elliott said she found out she couldn’t drive her car because of the missing part.
She was watching KPIX when a catalytic converter theft story fell on her screen and caught her attention.
“I was like ‘Well that’s like me’ and then I look and I’m like, it’s the car across the street, it’s the tree outside – c is my car! ” Elliott said. “I couldn’t believe it was my car. So I was able to see how they did it and it was in seconds. I’m really grateful to the people who filmed the video and it’s good that we are paying attention to each other.
She said her mechanic told her it would cost around $ 6,500 to fix her car and, due to a backlog of supplies, it could not be replaced until after the New Years.
Elliott contacted KPIX after seeing the report. She hopes that the police can find the suspect thanks to the video that Llamas shot.
Oakland Police requested the video and this outlet released it to investigators. However, it is not known if an arrest was made.
Despite the theft and the inconvenience it caused, Elliott said she did not want jail time for the suspects but rather a pardon.
“I have two jobs, we rent, we are newlyweds, and I take care of my mom who has dementia,†Elliott said. “I mean, I’m a good person, you know.”
Elliott said she opened an account to help her fundraise until she could get her car repaired. She can be contacted at [email protected]
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