MURRAY, Utah — A catalytic converter theft in the parking lot of Fashion Place Mall in Murray was caught on camera.
Matthew Campbell says he was leaving work last Friday night, when he got into his car a noticed something wasn't right.
"I turned my car on, it sounded like I started like a tractor lawnmower," said Campbell.
Campbell says after starting his car again with the same result, he called his dad to see if he might know what the issue was.
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His dad told him that he thought someone might have taken his catalytic converter.
"I was just pretty upset, kind of wish like I would of have come out when maybe they're doing it so I could scare them away," said Campbell.
Luckily for Campbell, he was parked right next to his coworker, Robb Lapp.
Lapp says he had seen a post the following day in group chat form Campbell, talking about the theft.
"He said he was parked next to a Tesla and low and behold it was a weird coincidence," said Lapp.
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He says his Tesla allows him to set up a feature to where it records anytime somebody approaches the car.
It was Lapp's car, equipped with seven cameras in all, two on each side, that caught the entire incident as it happened.
"It caught him walking up to the car and kind of scoping everything out, you could see he kind of had a drill tucked up into his sleeve," said Lapp.
Catalytic converter thefts have been on the rise in Utah over the past few years.
According to data from the Utah Attorney General's Office, the state has seen a 585% increase from 2018, through the end of last year.
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"People go underneath the car, they cut it off, it takes them maybe seven minutes and then they're gone and they can make several hundred dollars fairly quickly," said Richard Piatt, Communications Director with the Utah Attorney General's Office.
For Campbell, it leaves him with a steep price tag.
"To repair and everything with the part, they have, would be $3,000," said Campbell.Without his car for time being, Campbell is hoping these videos will help catch the person responsible.
"If they catch him that'd be great," said Campbell.
Campbell did file a report with the Murray City Police Department on Saturday. After finding out Lapp had videos of the incident taking place, he says he sent them over to police the following day.
"To repair and everything with the part, they have, would be $3,000," said Campbell.
Without his car for time being, Campbell is hoping these videos will help catch the person responsible.
"If they catch him that'd be great," said Campbell.
Campbell says he did file a report with the Murray City Police Department on Saturday. After finding out Lapp had videos of the incident taking place, he says he sent them over to police the following day.
