By WECT Staff | February 26, 2021 at 9:12 AM EST – Updated February 26 at 12:18 PM
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) -Two people are accused of stealing catalytic converters in the Burgaw area.
According to the Pender County Sheriff’s Office, Christian Houston and Britney Guzman, both of Harrells, N.C., were arrested on Feb. 22 and charged with multiple counts of felony larceny of motor vehicle parts, injuring or tampering with motor vehicles and conspiracy to commit felonious larceny.
“They were charged with the larceny of a converter from the C&G Auto sales in Burgaw and the larceny of another converter and damage to another vehicle at the Pike Creek AME Church outside Burgaw,” a news release states. They are also being charged with other larcenies across Pender, Duplin and Sampson counties. As the case is still being followed up on, further charges for the listed subjects and others may result.”
Officials say Houston and Guzman were accompanied by a juvenile male, who is being charged in juvenile court.
“The theft of catalytic converters has become an increasingly troublesome problem for almost every jurisdiction in the state since the rise in value of precious metals has risen steeply,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release. “The Pender Co. Sheriff’s Office, was recently able to identify, locate and arrest several subjects involved in the larceny of catalytic converters.
“There were multiple agencies that assisted in the investigation and it is still on-going. Those agencies included the Sampson, Duplin, New Hanover and Onslow County Sheriff’s Offices, along with the Burgaw, Clinton, Wallace and Wilmington Police Departments.”
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