MARICOPA, Ariz. (AP) - A man in Maricopa has been arrested for allegedly stealing catalytic converters to cover a gambling loss, according to police.
They said 34-year-old Daniel Danforth was being held on suspicion of burglary in the third degree, possession of burglary tools, possession of dangerous drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A man told Maricopa police that he had parked his car to do business. When he returned, he saw someone underneath his vehicle, but the suspect fled in a green pickup truck.
The Casa Grande Dispatch reported police found the exhaust pipe on the victim’s car had been cut. Police said the man may have been trying to steal its catalytic converter, which reduces the amount of pollutants and toxic gases that vehicles produce.
Authorities said the thieves steal the devices because they can be sold to recyclers and are expensive to replace for car owners.
Police later stopped Danforth driving a truck matching the description from the previous report.
Officers said they allegedly found a portable electric saw in Danforth’s truck and a freshly cut catalytic converter plus a small bag of methamphetamine in his pocket.
Danforth told police he had lost money at a casino, the newspaper reported.
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