Eureka Police believe a 38-year-old O’Fallon man’s attempt to steal catalytic converters at an RV storage business was interrupted by an alert business owner and an officer patrolling the area. The officer allegedly found tools commonly used to steal catalytic converter thefts in a backpack the O’Fallon man was carrying, and he was arrested for trespassing, police reported.
At about 11:05 p.m. Feb. 2, the owner of St. Louis RV Storage, 1500 S. Outer Road, called police and said his surveillance camera system notified him that someone had run from nearby Midwest Motors, 1400 S. Outer Road, onto his property. An officer was patrolling the 1400 block of South Outer Road at the time, and police believe that while the man was at Midwest Motors he saw the patrol car and ran to the nearby storage business, the report said.
The owner of St. Louis RV said his surveillance camera showed someone on his property. The business owner also said the man appeared to be trying to hide as he ran from place to place on the property, according to the report.
The St. Louis RV owner also told police that surveillance footage showed the person leave his business and head in the direction of Williams Road. Another officer who was driving to the area to help with the call found the suspect near the intersection of South Outer and Williams roads, the report said.
The suspect allegedly told the officer he was cutting through a muddy area from a friend’s house, but the officer reported there was no mud on the man’s shoes or pants. The officer said he didn’t believe the suspect, who then said he was dropped off in the area by someone driving a white pickup, Eureka Police reported.
The officer got permission to search the suspect’s backpack and reportedly found a Milwaukee Sawzall, a battery, 22 blades, a 15-milimeter wrench, a 17-milimeter wrench and an Allen wrench. Eureka Police said catalytic converters thieves often carry backpacks filled with those kinds of tools.
The man already was wanted in St. Charles County on several felony stealing warrants. He was arrested and taken to the Police Station, where he was booked and held for another law enforcement agency, according to the report.
Werges said no evidence was found that the man had stolen converters from vehicles at either of the two businesses, but he was issued summonses to appear in Eureka Municipal Court for two counts of trespassing.