In Tyumen, a resident of Samara was detained for a string of catalytic converter removals from the exhaust systems of nine vehicles, resulting in losses surpassing one million rubles. The case is reported by MIA Media and is being treated as a coordinated act of car tampering that targeted a specific pattern of devices and locations.
The investigation revealed that the suspect studied online guides about removing catalytic converters and purchased a pipe cutter to execute the plan. According to a statement from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the person targeted certain car brands during nighttime visits, cutting through the exhaust systems to disable the emissions control devices without necessarily altering other car components. The motive appeared to be opportunistic rather than driven by a single, long-standing scheme, with the perpetrator moving from one site to another as the authorities tracked the method and timing of the offenses.
Police recordings indicate that the time spent on each operation ranged from 10 to 30 minutes. The detainee admitted that no expensive parts were stolen from the vehicles and that the individual frequently changed residence, complicating the investigation by dispersing evidence across multiple jurisdictions. In all, investigators connected the Samara resident to nine illegal activities linked to theft, and a formal case has been opened to pursue charges related to the incidents and the associated financial damages.
Earlier reports placed some of the disturbances on a suburban highway where several trucks were affected, underscoring the scale of the disruption and the potential risk to commercial traffic. The authorities emphasized that while the catalytic converters themselves were the primary target, the broader impact included increased police activity in the affected areas and heightened concern among motorists about vehicle security and maintenance in the wake of such offenses. The case continues to unfold as investigators gather additional evidence and assess the broader pattern of behavior that connected the various incidents. (MIA Media)