2 arrests made in west metro catalytic converter thefts

The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office said on Friday two arrests have been made in a recent catalytic converter theft spree seen in the west metro.

The Minnetonka Police Department had investigated the thefts in their city on March 21. Just two weeks earlier, the Hopkins Police Department had stated they were offering a reward for any information that would lead to arrests.

Hopkins police offering reward for information in catalytic converter thefts

The investigation led to an identification of a vehicle involved and that information was shared through media and Crime Information Sharing and Analysis (CISA) Unit. CISA then put out an advisory to Minnetonka Police about the thefts.

According to police, on Thursday afternoon, deputies from the Wright County Sheriff's Office spotted a van mentioned in the alert that CISA put out. Upon stopping the van, deputies were able to see tools mentioned in the alert and other evidence. The sheriff's office arrested two people for possession of stolen property, including catalytic converters and possession of theft tools.

"This is a good reminder that though much of the state is shutting down, law enforcement isn't. If you think crime will be easier when we're self-quarantining, you're wrong," Sheriff Dave Hutchinson said in a statement. "Our staff and our great partners in law enforcement will be out in force and we will be arresting those who try to take advantage of the situation."

At this time, no other information regarding the arrests has been released.