A not-for-profit bus service that helps the elderly and disabled is claiming victory after finally catching thieves who were stealing catalytic converters from their busses.
Similar thefts have happened before, but detectives were not able to make any arrests.
In May 2012, 14 catalytic converters went missing from Access Johnson County, rendering half the fleet useless. It was not the first time and it would not be the last that thieves would strike the bus fleet.
After that 2012 heist, Director Betty Allen found a federal grant to help them pay for a motion camera system. The most recent heist attempt was just last month.
"It's a Friday night at my house. It's pizza night. Pizza and a movie," Allen said.
Allen got a call from a security company telling her about movement on the bus lot. From her house she pulled up this video on her phone. In real time it showed two men with what police now say was a saw in hand. Within seconds, officers were en route.
"They come in silent. No lights, no sirens and they walked in and they could hear the saw going and they walked up on the guy as he was carrying the third catalytic converter he cut off," Allen said.
And just then, Access Johnson County, was an easy target no more.
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