Placer County Sheriff's Office arrests 2 for catalytic converter thefts

Placer County Sheriff's deputies arrested two suspects on theft and drug charges in North Auburn on Dec. 22. Deputies responded to a suspicious vehicle report at 10 p.m. after a caller reported seeing a vehicle driving around a mini storage lot on the 12000 block of Shale Ridge Lane. The vehicle was about to exit the lot when deputies arrived and conducted a traffic stop. Jason Russell Shepherd, 43, of Auburn and Melissa Ann McCoy, 43, of Sacramento were identified as the occupants of the car. During a search of Shepherd's vehicle, deputies located a catalytic converter, burglary tools, four pounds of marijuana in plain view, a digital scale, drug paraphernalia and a list of catalytic converter target locations, according to a news release. Surveillance footage from the business showed the pair stealing the catalytic converter from a work truck. Officers arrested Shepherd and McCoy on suspicion of grand theft, possession of stolen property, possession of burglary tools, tampering with a vehicle and conspiracy to commit a felony. Shepherd was additionally charged with possession of marijuana for sales, and McCoy was additionally charged with possession of drug paraphrenia and possession of methamphetamine, according to the release. As of Monday morning, Shepherd was still at the Placer County Mail Jail in Auburn. McCoy was released Dec. 27 with a promise to appear. The Placer County Sheriff's Office posted about the arrest through its social media channels and reminded residents of its program which partners with several auto repair shops to engrave catalytic converters. "If your catalytic converter is engraved, thieves will be less likely to steal it," the social media post stated. "In the event it is still stolen, we can help trace it back to its rightful owner." The Placer County Sheriff's Office program includes four automobile repair shops, including The Master Technicians in Auburn. The shops charge a small fee of $15-$20 to engrave a license plate or VIN number onto the catalytic converter, in addition to spray painting a Placer Sheriff logo.