There have been more catalytic converter thefts in Bellevue through the first five months of this year than all of 2025.
In 2026, the Bellevue Police Department reported 16 catalytic converter thefts, including the latest incident, which occurred in broad daylight on Tuesday. There were 14 such cases of theft reported in 2025.
Most thefts are happening in the Eastgate neighborhood and at park-and-ride locations, according to Bellevue police. Officers are urging drivers to install a catalytic converter shield or cage, weld the converter to the vehicle’s frame, engrave the vehicle’s VIN onto the converter, or purchase and use a catalytic converter alarm…