2 suspected of stealing catalytic converters arrested during traffic stop in Coweta County

COWETA COUNTY, Ga. - Deputies released body cam video showing the arrest of two men suspected of stealing catalytic converters in west central Georgia.

Lewis Duncan, 53, and Randall James Douglas, 42, both of LaGrange, were charged with theft by taking, possession of tools for a crime, and criminal damage. 

Body camera video released by the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office shows a deputy escorting Duncan out of the driver’s seat of a blue SUV on July 9 during a traffic stop along Interstate 85 around 7:30 a.m.

SEE ALSO: Spike in thefts of catalytic converters in north Georgia

The video also shows deputies searching through Duncan’s SUV after investigators said they were given consent by the suspect to do so. In the back seats, a sawed-off catalytic converter was found as well as a battery-powered saw. In the very back were even more catalytic converters.

Deputies reached out to surrounding jurisdictions to find both men were wanted for taking catalytic converters by the Troup County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators there said the men matched the men seen in surveillance video taking those car parts from several vehicles parked at a business.

"Real early Friday morning at a business in Troup County, where it was noticed on a… when the people came into work, they noticed one of their vehicles had some damage to it underneath it," said Sgt. Stewart Smith, Troup County Sheriff’s Office.

SEE ALSO: Haralson County deputies uncover major theft ring operation

Investigators said catalytic converters have three metals inside of them and two of them are worth more than the price of gold per ounce.

The theft of these converters is set to break a record in Georgia set last year because of the rising cost of these metals.

Law enforcement officials are encouraging businesses and churches that have vehicles that are not driven very often to park those closer to buildings, especially if those buildings have security cameras. They said otherwise, those vehicles are easy prey to catalytic converter thieves.

Duncan and Douglas were both booked into the Troup County jail and additional charges are pending.

SEE ALSO: Police bust man attempting to steal catalytic converter

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