Van with stolen goods hits deputy’s SUV

A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy suffered minor injuries when a van containing stolen catalytic converters crashed into the officer’s vehicle early Saturday in Santa Clarita, authorities said.

Deputies initiated a pursuit of a silver Honda Odyssey van near the 5 Freeway and Valencia Boulevard shortly before 3:15 a.m., said Lt. Brandon Barclay of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff ’s Station. They canceled the chase a short time later as the driver sped off erratically, he said.

About 30 seconds later, the Burbank Police Department

requested assistance regarding an unrelated report of a stolen vehicle in the 24500 block of Lyons Avenue, Barclay said. As deputies responded to that location, the van they had been pursuing earlier slammed into a deputy’s SUV near the 5 Freeway and Lyons Avenue, Barclay said.

“It’s like those guys were destined to go to jail,” he said.

The deputy sustained minor injuries and was taken to a hospital as a precaution. Two suspects in the van were taken into custody and transported to a hospital. They suffered severe injuries, with one sustaining a fractured jaw and a possible brain bleed, Barclay said.

The suspected driver of the van fled on foot and was eventually found hiding in a tree behind a home, Barclay said. That person was a parolee who had absconded from San Luis Obispo, Barclay said.

The suspects’ names were not immediately released.

Six to eight catalytic converters were recovered from the van, Barclay said.

Catalytic converter thefts have skyrocketed since the start of the pandemic. The parts contain precious metals, and they can be quickly cut off, making them highly sought by thieves. Because of the global demand for the emission-control devices, just an ounce of the precious metals can be worth thousands of dollars, authorities said.

A recent event at which people could have their cars’ vehicle identification numbers etched onto their catalytic converters, hosted by the Los Angeles Police Department and sponsored by the L.A. County Sheriff ’s Department, drew hundreds of motorists. The etched-on VINs are intended to help law enforcement build a case against a thief and could deter recycling businesses from processing stolen parts or looking the other way, authorities said.