After reportedly being discovered by Chicago police using stolen catalytic converters on the West Side, a guy on parole for two gun offenses is returning to prison for a spell.
Around 5:03 p.m. on August 20, police reported seeing Mario Lakes, 22, fleeing from a stolen Alfa Romeo. When police arrived, the vehicle was parked in the 300 block of North Hamlin Avenue and was purportedly connected to a series of thefts of catalytic converters.
According to the investigation, Lakes allegedly attempted to pass himself off as two distinct individuals by using the identities Cariel Moore and Tahrell Moore, each of whom had different birth dates. According to CPD, those names brought up documents featuring pictures of males who didn’t resemble Lakes.
Police said they found a yellow Sawzall and multiple saw blades on the front passenger seat of the Alfa Romeo, which are frequently associated with catalytic converter theft. Two Toyota catalytic converters and a floor jack—which is frequently used to lift cars so that thieves may swiftly cut off the devices—were among the further evidence they allegedly discovered in the trunk.
Lakes was charged by prosecutors with trespassing to a vehicle, hindering identification, two counts of theft of misplaced or lost items, and possession of burglary tools.
Lakes was released on March 10th, according to documents from the Illinois Department of Corrections. On Saturday, he was returned to prison, where he will stay until September 10, when his initial sentences expire.
Platinum, palladium, and rhodium are among the precious metals found in catalytic converters, which are mounted in automobile exhaust systems. On the illicit market, the gadgets might sell for hundreds of dollars each due to the skyrocketing price of metal worldwide.
Since thieves can remove converters in less than a minute using battery-operated saws, parked cars are prime targets. Trucks and SUVs, which are higher off the ground, are especially at risk.
States, including Illinois, and the federal government have attempted to reduce thefts in recent years. Illinois enacted legislation prohibiting cash payments and requiring scrap metal buyers to document every converter transaction. The U.S. Department of Justice has convicted multiple large-scale operations, and Chicago police have collaborated with federal authorities to track theft rings.
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