By Shavonne Potts
shavonne.potts@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — The Sheriff’s Office is investigating the theft of catalytic converters from the Rowan County Transit lot.

The transit operations manager reported four catalytic converters were taken from vehicles parked at the lot, 2722 Old Concord Road, sometime over the weekend.

The mechanic told the operations manager they made the discovery after checking the vehicles. The mechanic also found a set of Honda car keys underneath one vehicle.

In recent months there have been several catalytic converters stolen from both the city and county. A few arrests have been made, but the thefts continue. Officials have said that’s because of the valuable platinum contained within the devices.

Thieves are attracted to catalytic converters because it can take just a few minutes to either cut or unbolt them free from vehicles.

In other Rowan County Sheriff’s Office reports

• Residential Garbage Services on Monday reported a larceny occurred in the 400 block of Sloan Road, Mount Ulla.

• A woman reported on Monday she was the victim of larceny while in the 2900 block of Old Mocksville Road.

• Jennifer Louise Hotchkiss, 32, was charged on Monday with felony possession of a controlled substance schedule II while in the 2800 block of U.S. 601.

• Christian Alfredo Malave, 22, was charged on Monday with misdemeanor assault by pointing a gun while at the Rowan County Magistrate’s Office.

In Salisbury Police Department reports

• A man reported on Tuesday someone damaged a vehicle while in the 3500 block of South Main Street.

• Enterprise reported on Tuesday a motor vehicle theft after someone failed to return a rental car.