Convicted Rochester Area Catalytic Converter Thief Charged Again
West Concord, MN (KROC-AM News) - The suspect in dozens of catalytic converter thefts in the Rochester area several years ago is allegedly at it again.
Rochester Area Catalytic Converter Theft Suspect Faces New Charge
41-year-old Shawn Clement was sentenced to 23 months in prison in 2023 after he was convicted of felony theft involving nearly a dozen catalytic converters stolen from two businesses in Oronoco in 2021. At the time of his arrest, the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office indicated that it had uncovered evidence linking the Dodge Center man to dozens of similar thefts across southeastern Minnesota, Iowa and the Twin Cities.
READ MORE: Plea Deal For ‘Prolific’ Rochester Area Catalytic Converter Thief
Thefts Reported at West Concord Business
Clement was arraigned today in Dodge County court on a felony theft charge involving the theft of catalytic converters from a recycling business in West Concord. According to the criminal complaint, the thefts were reported Saturday.
How AirTags Led Investigators to Dodge Center
The court document says the owner of the business had placed tracking devices on two catalytic converters because of past burglaries. On Saturday, the business owner noticed they were missing and checked the AirTags. The devices were tracked to a home in Dodge Center that investigators knew was Clement's residence.
What Investigators Found at the Property
The charging document alleges that Clement was actively cutting up the catalytic converters in the garage area of the home when law enforcement officers approached him. That led to the execution of a search warrant and the discovery of several damaged pieces of metal that the criminal complaint says appeared to be parts of catalytic converters.
Clement's Statement to Investigators
Investigators also reported finding other possible catalytic converter pieces at other locations on the property. The criminal complaint says that, after Clement was taken into custody, he stated that he found the catalytic converters in a ditch and brought them to his home.
Conditional bail for Clement is set at $5,000.
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