Local police are warning Centreville and Chantilly residents to pay attention to their cars and trucks – because thieves certainly are. During the Feb. 9 virtual meeting of the Sully District Police Station’s Citizens Advisory Committee, 2nd Lt. Christopher Wright discussed a recent uptick here in thefts of catalytic converters from vehicles.
“Eight were stolen today in the Sully District,” he said. “Thieves are especially targeting Priuses and large trucks. Priuses because of their clean emissions, so their converters aren’t as dirty [as other vehicles], and large trucks since – because of their size – their catalytic converters have more minerals in them.”
Then MPO Sabrina Ruck spoke about thefts from inside vehicles. “In 2021, the Sully District Police Station took 300 reports of thefts from vehicles – and nearly all were unlocked,” she said. “These incidents accounted for 10 percent of Sully’s crime.”
“Unlocked cars are tempting to thieves, and this type of crime is totally preventable,” added 2nd Lt. Deanna Weand. “So make sure to secure your car doors and your valuables.”
Furthermore, advised Lt. John Lieb, the station’s assistant commander, “Always report these thefts to us, either by phone or online.”
For further information, Ruck and Weand made a 3-minute video on this topic, specifically for residents. To view it, go to https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H-i707L8Wcc.