If you were worried about someone stealing the catalytic converter off your car – and these days you probably should be – well, you can now rest a little easier because the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department has apprehended a man who allegedly has been doing quite a bit of converter thievery lately.
On Friday, Feb.18, the Sheriff’s Department announced that a suspect had been arrested in connection with multiple catalytic converter thefts in the area. The 40-year-old man – Marshall Shawn Dalrymple (pictured above) – has been charged with 10 counts of “felony injury to property to obtain nonferrous metal,” as well as “10 counts of larceny of motor vehicle parts/catalytic converter theft.” He’s also facing a single count of “possession of burglary tools.”
Dalrymple received a $16,000 unsecured bond.
According to the Friday statement from the department, detectives working the case were able to link Dalrymple to three counts of converter thefts within the Greensboro city limits and seven other counts in Guilford County.
The department says he was caught red-handed. The suspect was apprehended cutting off two catalytic converters at Compass Self Storage at 6605 Burlington Road on Wednesday, Feb. 16 by patrol deputies.
Detectives were then able to link him to the other open investigations in Greensboro and Guilford County.
You shouldn’t rest too easy since there are, no doubt, still catalytic converter capers being planned by others, given the popularity of the crime these days.
Anyone with information on catalytic converter thefts in the area is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 336-373-1000.
The catalytic converters – which help prevent automobile pollutants from entering the atmosphere – are expensive largely because they contain some valuable “precious” metals, especially rhodium. During the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain issues have driven up the price of the metals making catalytic converter theft a more profitable pastime for those not on the straight and narrow.
That’s great caught in the act, but he received an unsecured bond, so what that means is he was able to walk away from the Magistrates office and go home. The way the court system is so back logged he probably wont have his final day in court for a year. Do you think he might go out again and continue to steal? Why doesn’t a Magistrate place him under a secured bond, so that if he bonds out, somebody will be monitoring him so that he goes to court. I imagine we will here more about Mr. Dalrymple. Thank you court system
I contacted the mayor, DA, magistrate a couple months ago because I had footage of this guy stealing at my office. At the time, the guy had 20+ charges – now he has 40+! He gets arrested and is let out the same night. Sometimes he is arrested multiple times in one night. The magistrates let him out and he continues to commit these crimes and nothing gets done to him. If these guys ever do get to a judge, the DAs dismiss the charges. I hope you all are paying attention to this in the mid term elections – it’s time to get some people in office that will actually enforce the laws! It is horrible what is happening to our city!! NO PUNISHMENT FOR CRIMES. I wonder if these officials would like to reimburse all of us for the replacement catalytic convertors???
Catalytic Converter theft is theft but it is also a huge inconvenience. Replacement costs dictate that the charges against Dalrymple should be GRAND theft.
Also, a $16,000 unsecured bond means Dalrymple simply walks free, able to ply his trade anywhere he wants. Proof once again that the punishment has ceased to fit the crime.
The courts continue to fail us. 10 counts of a felony, not just one. A serial thief of major damage consequence.
And just walk out of magistrates office and disappear for how long.
So who buys these stolen catalytic converters? Isn’t it a crime to purchase stolen goods. Last time my main man, Tyrone, sold scrap metal he had to show a picture ID (driver’s license).
Catalytic Converter theft will never stop until you start arresting the people buying them at salvage yards. I was told yesterday that in SC it is a felony for a scrap yard to be in possession of a cat converter. this same person had 24 cats stolen from new Medium Duty Trucks. The total replacement cost was $160,000. The severe penalties in SC may be a tad strong, but I do believe there should be a way to require verification of what it came from. I have sold some myself, but I could easily prove where they came from and it was completely legal. Other people however would NOT be able to prove that they had them by legitimate means. There is where the law should come down hard. Then you would put a stop to these thefts.
There may be legislation in the works or held up a step.
As well you can call your congress person or Senator to request legislation.
They should be going after the purchasers of the converters as they must know they are stolen. If they eliminate the demand then they reduce te problem.
It would be nice if someone would post his address.
So who buys stolen catalytic converters or the precious metal components?. Isn’t it illegal to buy stolen goods?
The problem is who’s buying these parts. That’s where they need to go to stop this. Who ever is buying these parts needs to be regulated.
This is absolutely ridiculous. This bandit was given an unsecured bond and allowed to walk away so that he can steal more property. Did the magistrate who made this foolish decision ever stop to think that some citizen might just catch him in the act next time and take the law into their own hands and shoot this sorry crook. Is it any wonder that crime is running rampant? This is an example of why it is out of control.
If the perp knew he was going to be shot, 90% of this would stop!
Amazing the bloodlust shown against thieves by people who were NOT A VICTIM of said theft. Not hard to imagine if the writers above had the suspect’s address, spare time and a rope that Mr. Dalrymple would be room temperature in minutes. Not much kindness, respect for rule of law and process in the “RT” universe. Must be a cold place to live when “Innocent until proven guilty in a court of law” doesn’t resonate with your crowd. How about some sharia law where you could get a front seat to see his hands chopped off? That float your boat?
I’d swig to he axe. How can you say innocent until proven guilty. He was caught in the act by law enforcement. He also had 8 other converters in his trunk What a MORON you are. You’re the type of idiot that’s caused AMERICA to become the place we have to live in today. Rules and laws are for everyone else but me.
He was caught in the act. At the least his bond should have been secured.