Catalytic converter theft has been a headache for car owners for years now, but it’s not every day the getaway car turns out to be a Tesla. Early Thursday morning, Placentia Police Department officers responded to a burglary call in the area of the 200 block of Sunrise, where someone had just cut a catalytic converter out from under a parked vehicle. Witnesses reported the suspects took off in a white Tesla, which gave officers a pretty specific vehicle to look for.
It didn’t take long. An officer spotted a white Tesla near Orangethorpe and the 57 freeway and tried to pull it over. Instead of stopping, the driver hit the gas and took off, kicking off a pursuit through the area. That chase came to an abrupt end when the Tesla slammed into a wall near the 91 freeway and Brookhurst.
Both suspects bailed out and tried to run, but a short foot chase ended with both of them in custody. Placentia PD got an assist from Fullerton PD, Anaheim PD, and the California Highway Patrol to wrap things up. Once officers searched the Tesla, they found six catalytic converters inside, all believed to be from recent thefts in the area…