Armed catalytic converter thieves hit parents of new mom in Rogers Park

By Megan Hickey

August 25, 2023 / 5:07 PM / CBS Chicago

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Rogers Park man woke up to the sound of sawing, went to his window, and spotted a crew of thieves – armed with an assault rifle – stealing his neighbor's catalytic converter, just two days after that neighbor gave birth,

Renee Vickman's parents own the car, and they were on their way to pick her up from the hospital with her newborn baby boy.

She said the video her neighbor captured was terrifying; and, unfortunately, it's not the first time they've been hit.

Baby Walter is just 6 days old. He wasn't too worried about what happened early Monday morning, but his family sure was.

His mom was in the labor and delivery unit, waiting to get a ride home, when her father sent her a text message that the catalytic converter on his car had been stolen, and he couldn't come get her.

Her neighbor shared video he shot around 5:54 a.m. He heard the sawing and watched a trio of men walking away from her parent's Hyundai Tucson.

"They are kind of putting something in the trunk, and then getting in to drive away, and one of them clearly has an assault-style rifle," Vickman said.

Her poor parents were visiting from out of state to meet baby Walter. The worst part? It was the second time this happened to them.

Their catalytic converter was stolen on the same corner in May, the last time her parents visited.

The bill for the thefts came out to nearly $10,000.

"My dad had spray-painted it orange before he came down, because he wanted to hopefully deter them from doing this, and it did not work," Vickman said.

Chicago police said they had no updates on the case on Friday.

The Cook County Sheriff's Department has been leading the charge to deter catalytic converter thefts by offering to spray paint the devices with a sheriff's office symbol and star. Some events also provide repairs to damaged vehicles.

A spokesperson said they have been inundated with requests to hold more such workshop, because this is clearly still a problem – one that seems to be getting more dangerous.

"Clearly it's still an issue. I would really hope that neighbors can just be neighbors, and try to help each other out, like watching for this stuff so that it can stop," Vickman said.

The Cook County Sheriff's Department said they have at least five catalytic converter events scheduled through the end of the year:

Megan Hickey is a member of the 2 Investigator team, focusing on topical investigative stories.

First published on August 25, 2023 / 5:07 PM

CHICAGO (CBS) --