Scrap metal buyer faces jail
Crown seeks prison for man who bought dozens of stolen catalytic converters
If Crown prosecutors have their way, a scrap metal recycler who purchased dozens of stolen catalytic converters will serve time in prison.
Tekie Reka Awte was in Edmonton Court of King’s Bench for sentencing Thursday, months after Justice Gaylene Kendell found him guilty of possessing 42 illegally obtained converters for the purpose of reselling them. Crown lawyer Kate Andress — who described the prosecution as one of the first of its kind — said a conservative estimate puts the value of the stolen converters at $84,000.
Andress said Edmonton is “plagued” by catalytic converter theft and that prison time is needed in Awte’s case to properly denounce and deter the crimes.
“If recyclers refused to accept stolen property, Edmonton would not be in this situation," she said. "Thieves would have no incentive to steal catalytic converters without individuals like Mr. Awte who are willing to purchase and re-sell stolen converters on a commercial level."
Catalytic converters are an automotive part that converts harmful gases from internal combustion engines into less-dangerous byproducts like nitrogen, carbon dioxide and water vapour. Kenneth Horwood, a former auto mechanic turned RCMP officer, told court the converters help vehicles meet federal emissions requirements while also reducing fire risk and engine noise.
The converters are valued as scrap metal because of the precious metals in their ceramic substrates — known as honeycombs — which contain platinum, palladium and rhodium. Thieves typically remove them from the bottom of parked vehicles using reciprocating saws. Experts who testified at the sentencing said replacing a gasoline catalytic converter can cost between $3,000 and $6,000.
Awte was convicted of possessing the stolen converters between January and June 2020. He was arrested on June 11, 2020, during a traffic stop on Yellowhead Trail, hauling a trailer containing dozens of converters. Police seized a total of 462 of the devices from Awte, claiming he planned to sell them to a metal recycler in Abbotsford, B.C.
Kendell, however, concluded the Crown could only prove that 42 of the converters were stolen property, relying on a combination of text messages, testimony from thieves who stole converters and circumstantial evidence. Two of the converters were traced back to specific victims.
According to Edmonton police, 1,931 converters were reported stolen in 2020, the year Awte was arrested. Estimates for 2022 peg the total amount of damage at $7 million to $20 million. Edmonton’s volume of catalytic converter theft “exceeds Calgary’s by 50 per cent” and has contributed to rising insurance premiums, the Alberta Motor Association said in a submission.
Eric Grand-Maison, a metal recycler who wrote a statement on the community impact of Awte’s crimes, said “honest” businesses are being run out of the industry by unscrupulous actors who trade in stolen merchandise. He said catalytic converter theft is also tied to money laundering and causes environmental damage when vehicles are operated without the stolen parts.
Andress argued Awte should be sentenced to two years, the shortest possible term in federal prison. She said that while Awte was convicted of being “wilfully blind” about the origins of the converters he purchases, on a legal basis, “deliberate ignorance is akin to full knowledge.”
She noted the Crown has texts showing Awte “chastising” sellers who made “seemingly incriminating” comments about the converters’ origins. He nevertheless continued to do business with these people, she said.
Awte has shown no sign of remorse or growth in the time since his arrest, Andress added, noting he has been “difficult to supervise” on bail and spoke to witnesses despite no-contact orders.
Defence lawyer Sam Johma argued for a jail sentence of 60-180 days. He noted his client was just 24 when he purchased the stolen converters and never set out to be “the head of some crime ring.” Awte instead ran a towing business and branched out into legitimate scrap metal work before ending up in the illicit catalytic converter trade, largely by “happenstance.”
Court heard Awte is Eritrean and grew up in Sudan when the country was wracked by civil war. He is now a Canadian citizen, and Jomha said he used his income to help family emigrate.
“This isn’t some kid from a privileged background who starts selling drugs at 17," he said. “This isn’t someone who’s acting from pure greed.”
Awte did not speak during Thursday’s hearing. He is in custody on another case and appeared in court wearing black and orange remand coveralls.
Kendell is scheduled to give her decision on Awte’s sentence June 20.