Catalytic converters stolen from East Meadow AHRC vehicles

Catalytic converters were stolen from eight vehicles parked outside of an East Meadow AHRC on 2555 Hempstead Turnpike, according to a spokeswoman from the Nassau County Police Department.

AHRC Nassau is a nonprofit organization that supports 2,200 individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities through a wide array of support services.

The vehicles, used to transport AHRC patients, were parked on Hempstead Turnpike on Tuesday at 4 p.m., said the spokeswoman. At 8 a.m. on Wednesday, the drivers returned to the vehicles and noticed the theft.

She said police have no leads as of Thursday afternoon.

A catalytic converter is an expensive part of a car’s exhaust system that converts the gas in the exhaust to less-toxic pollutants. Catalytic converters are expensive pieces of equipment full of rare metals, making them popular targets for thievery, to be sold as scrap or to mechanics.

The incident continues a recent pattern of catalytic converter thefts in Nassau County. Between Feb. 3 and 4, the Rockville Centre Police Department received complaints of a dozen catalytic converters being stolen from cars.

This is a developing story. Check back as more details become available.