Police: String of catalytic converter thefts reported on South, Near West sides

Police are warning residents about a series of catalytic converter thefts that began earlier this month on the South and Near West sides.

In each incident, the burglars forcibly removed a catalytic converter from a vehicle, according to an alert from Chicago Police.

The burglaries happened:

• between 6:20 a.m. and 7:10 p.m. May 18 in the 1300 block of West 21st Street;

• at 12:54 p.m. May 18 in the 1100 block of West 19th Place;

• about 3 p.m. May 18 in the 900 block of West Monroe;

• between 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. May 18 in the 1900 block of South Racine; and

• between 8:30 a.m. and noon May 21 in the 200 block of South Laflin.

Two suspects were described as black men, thought to be between 25 and 45 years of age, standing between 5-foot-9 and 6-foot-1 and weighing between 170 and 210 pounds.

Anyone with information about the burglaries should call Area Central detectives at (312) 747-8382.