A security camera in Gardena captured the moment a gang of thieves stole a catalytic converter from a driveway in the middle of the night.
The surveillance footage shows three suspects driving into the driveway. One grabs a jack and walks to the victim’s car, while the other two stand as a lookout. At one point, one of the suspects held up a semi-automatic handgun aimed at the house and security cameras.
Investigators said after the suspects removed the catalytic converter from the Toyota Prius, they jumped into a dark-colored sedan and left. The police did not arrest them.
A neighbor who lives across the street says she is still shocked by what happened.
“When I saw the video and the men with the guns, I was surprised at what was happening in my neighborhood,” she said. “I hope they get them, because it’s not just about the catalyst, right? The three people were armed with guns. If anyone interrupted them, they killed them.”
The Gardena crime bears similarities to the crime that led to the death of actor Johnny Wactor on May 25 in downtown Los Angeles. Witnesses say Wactor was confronted by three people who police say raised his car with a jack. They shot him while he stole the catalytic converter from his car. He later died in hospital.
Investigators said the suspects involved in Wactor’s death were driving a dark-colored sedan.
Neighbors in Gardena are doing what they can to feel safe moving forward.
The Gardena Police Department and Los Angeles Police Department have not confirmed a connection between the two cases.
