What started as a routine traffic stop in South San Francisco ended with two Oakland residents in handcuffs, a pile of freshly cut catalytic converters in the car, and a growing investigation that now stretches across three Bay Area counties, according to police.
Officers say a 40-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman were pulled over, arrested, and booked into San Mateo County Jail on multiple theft and drug-related charges after allegedly admitting they had just stolen a catalytic converter less than half an hour earlier. Detectives are now working with regional partners to see whether the same vehicle is tied to other catalytic converter thefts around the Bay Area.
Traffic Stop at Airport Boulevard and East Grand
Police say the bust began when an officer in training conducted a proactive traffic stop near Airport Boulevard and East Grand Avenue. During the stop, officers reported finding the two occupants along with items they immediately associated with catalytic converter theft.
According to the South San Francisco Police Department, both people in the vehicle admitted they had just ripped a catalytic converter in South San Francisco less than 30 minutes earlier. They were arrested on the spot…