MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — Martin County Sheriff's Office arrested two suspects from Miami responsible for numerous catalytic converter thefts throughout the state of Florida.
Surveillance from the air and on the ground led to the arrests of Pedro Pablo Vera and Monica Parra, both 29, Thursday night.
Deputies said Vera and Parra were observed riding around in a grey, Lexus sport utility vehicle stopping at numerous industrial businesses searching for box-style trucks. The pair ultimately stopped at a business on the 2400 block of Southeast Dixie Highway in Stuart at around 8:40 p.m.
Deputies saw a man, later identified as Vera, get out of the SUV and was seen under the box truck and reappearing with an item, later determined to be a catalytic converter. Deputies saw Vera do this multiple times with three different box-style trucks, according to the police report.
Deputies followed Vera and Parra to a Mobil gas station on the 2900 block of Southeast Dixie Highway in Stuart and found six large catalytic converters in the trunk and three saws near the driver's seat, the police report said.
During questioning, Vera told detectives he sells the catalytic converters for $125 in Miami but would not admit to stealing them.
Following questioning and further investigation, deputies arrested Vera and Parra and took them to Martin County Jail.
Vera faces numerous charges, including burglary, possession of burglary tools and grand theft. Parra faces charge of accessory after the fact of a first-degree felony.