Non-profit serving adults with disabilities down vehicles after catalytic converter theft

TROY — Police are searching for a man they say stole several catalytic converters off vans at a non-profit in Troy and now that non-profit is working without a full fleet to help people with disabilities.

Ashley Brocious, CEO of RT Industries, said she watched the surveillance video of a thief cutting into the catalytic converters. That video showed the man wearing a mask while he does it.

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The man cut into four converters from three vans and ran away up a path that leads straight to the railroad tracks. While he got away, Brocious said he only left with three of the four converters.

“You only see him leaving with the one which makes me wonder if another person is involved,” she told News Center 7′s Kayla McDermott.

The CEO said she couldn’t believe someone would do this to an organization that works to help others.

“The biggest part that hurts my heart the most is that somebody was willing to steal these catalytic converters from a non-profit that serves adults with developmental disabilities,” Brocious said.

RT Industries can still drive people to where they need to go, but it’s harder with fewer vehicles.

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“We ended up being late to a couple of our business contracts,” she explained.

Now she’ll pay around $1,500 out-of-pocket to help with repairs.

Troy Police said they do have a person of interest and released photos of who they think could have been behind the mask.

“I’m mad, I’m angry, and I want to make sure that this person gets caught,” Brocious said.

After this theft, she said she going to be lighting the area where the vans are “like a Christmas tree” in case someone else tries to come back.

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