Three charged with sawing the catalytic converters off Priuses in Brighton

Boston Police report arresting two men from East Boston and one from Revere early Wednesday on charges they were going around Brighton removing the catalytic converters from older Priuses.

Police say officers responded to 72 Strathmore Rd. in Brighton early Wednesday morning on a 911 call about three guys "utilizing a power tool to remove and steal the catalytic converter of a parked and unattended Toyota Prius."

The caller gave officers a description of the car and plate number, which was broadcast to police in both Brighton and Brookline - where BPD and Brookline officers stopped the car on Beacon Street near Dean Road around 2:35 a.m.

Officers then conducted their investigation and removed all three parties, later identifying the operator as Camilo Rendon, 24, or East Boston along with the front and rear seat passengers as Juan Suarez, 19, of Revere and Juan Oquendo, 28, of East Boston, respectively. The suspects were placed in custody on scene without incident after officers located and recovered several dirty car parts which were determined to be catalytic converters along with several saw blades and other evidence from inside the vehicle.

The three were charged with larceny of a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property and possession of burglarious tools. Camilo Rendon was also charged with driving without a license.

Owners of "Gen 2" Priuses made between 2004 and 2010 have been plagued by catalytic-converter thefts over the past year, both because of the value of the metals in the parts and because the converters on those models are particularly easy to remove.