Authorities bust recycling company that allegedly paid for stolen catalytic convertors

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Fremont Police Detectives served a search warrant at Arrow Recovery in Fremont, Calif., in June 22, 2022 locating 55-gallon drums of refined and semi-refined catalytic converter material and approximately eight pallets containing at least 300 suspect

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FREMONT, Calif. - Police in Fremont announced on Monday that a year-long investigation into a local recycling center has allegedly yielded stolen catalytic converter material and pallets containing at least 300 suspected stolen converters, the department said.

Arrow Recovery, located in the 46000 block of Warm Springs Boulevard in Fremont, was the subject of a sting operation where an undercover officer allegedly sold cut catalytic converters to the business which were etched or marked as stolen. Detectives allege that over a several month operation, Arrow Recovery "repeatedly" purchased stolen converters from undercover officers.

In June of this year, Fremont Police obtained a search warrant at the business where they allege they found "multiple" 55-gallon drums of refined and semi-refined catalytic converter material along with 300 suspected stolen converters.

Police said the goal of the sting was to shut down a "major pathway" for criminals to sell stolen converters.

Currently, detectives are seeing if they can match converters to people who reported theirs stolen; however, due to the condition of most of them, "it is generally not possible to confirm the origin" of many of the recovered items, police said.

Police claim that the city of Fremont has seen a drop in converter thefts over the last few months, which they say corresponds with their investigation.

The operation was a collaboration with the Fremont Fire Department, Silicon Valley Regional Computer Forensics Lab and the State Toxic and Hazardous Waste Department and is still active.

FPD is now working with the district attorney to prosecute Arrow Recovery.