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Crime & Safety

OC Police Catch Men Accused of Catalytic Converter Theft

Police say four Chicago men have 20 catalytic converters in the trunk of a car when they're stopped in Oak Creek.

Four Chicago men are accused of stealing 20 catalytic convertors from two West Allis businesses, then getting caught in Oak Creek while one of them is driving erratically in front of a police officer.

Antwuan D. Dawson, 24, Michael A. Green, 37, Michael Taylor, 26, and Jermaine J. Williams, 23, were charged in Milwaukee County Circuit Court Tuesday with one count of theft of more than $10,000 in goods. If convicted, they each face up to five years in prison and $25,000 in fines.

According to the criminal complaint:

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At 2:47 a.m. Friday, an Oak Creek police officer was on patrol southbound on South 13th Street when he spotted a Buick following another vehicle and swerving. The officer decided to follow the Buick, which briefly pulled into a driveway of a home in the 1100 block of West Rosewood Trail before being pulled it over by police in the 1500 block of Drexel Avenue.

Williams was driving the car and Green was the passenger. The other two suspects who had been dropped off at the home were found by another police officer walking in the 8400 block of South 13th Street and apprehended. Williams, who had a suspended driver’s license, allowed officers to search the car. When they opened the trunk, police found 20 catalytic converters and a Sawzall.

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With information from the West Allis Police Department, officers discovered that one of the catalytic converters was reported stolen off a vehicle at M&M Motors, 911 S. 108th St., and the other 19 came from U-Haul, 924 S. 108th St. The converters were valued at roughly $1,400 to $1,700 each.

Williams admitted to police that he and his friends came up from Illinois to steal catalytic converters and they were on their way to another location to get more when they were pulled over. The men said they know a place in Illinois willing to pay $50 to $100 each for the converters.

All four men are currently being held in Milwaukee County Jail.

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