HOUSTON — A car owner confronted two thieves who were stealing the catalytic converter from his vehicle, shooting one of them Saturday morning, investigators said.
Houston police said the car owner heard the thieves around 5 a.m. and confronted the men, KTRK reported.
The car owner then started shooting striking one of the men, KTRK reported.
A witness said one of the thieves had a power drill and tried to approach the car owner, prompting the owner to open fire, KTRK reported.
The suspect who was shot was taken to a hospital for treatment. The other man is in custody. It is unclear if charges will be filed. Their identities were not released.
There is a rise in catalytic converter thefts across the country.
Catalytic converters are an anti-pollution device that are sought after by thieves for the precious metals inside them, which are removed and sold for scrap, according to NPR.
In Houston, there were 85 reports of catalytic converter theft in 2018. There were more than 2,200 reports through June 2021, KTRK reported.
Neighbors told ABC13 one of the men came at the owner with a drill and that's why he opened fire. https://t.co/IlnQiLd4Jk
— ABC13 Houston (@abc13houston) August 14, 2021
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