Suburban prosecutors say ‘trail of fear’ is over after arresting catalytic converter theft ring

In a blow to organized crime in the region, Montgomery and Delaware County prosecutors announced the dismantling of a large catalytic converter theft ring operating across Philadelphia’s suburban collar counties on Thursday. The coordinated effort followed two years of investigation, and led to the arrests of five individuals and a warrant for a sixth suspect.

The accused are Sharief Louden, 30, of Philadelphia; Daniel McIlhenney, 37, and Ryan McIlhenney, 36, both of Folcroft; Terrell Gibson, 40, of Chester; and Loai Nasser, 49, of Cherry Hill. An arrest warrant has been issued for Ali Sayyam, 29, of Ocean Township, N.J.

The defendants face multiple felony charges, including corrupt organization, theft of catalytic converter, receiving stolen property, and theft of secondary metal.

The joint investigation by the Montgomery County Detective Bureau and the Delaware County Criminal Investigation Division began in 2022, a response to a sharp rise in catalytic converter thefts that year, according to prosecutors.

Catalytic converters contain valuable metals such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium, and became prime targets for thieves during the COVID-19 pandemic when metal prices surged. At the height of the pandemic, prices for rhodium topped out at around $31,000 per ounce, but have since dropped to around $4,500 per ounce.

Prosecutors said members of the crime group would target vehicles parked in high-traffic areas, including shopping malls and business parks, as well as Philadelphia International Airport and Drexel University. The thefts were often completed in a matter of minutes, with crew members using a jack to lift a vehicle and cut out the converter before lowering it and fleeing the scene.

The stolen converters were then sold to salvage yards in Philadelphia. Prosecutors implicated Big Head Auto Salvage, operated by Daniel and Ryan McIlhenney; and Philly Auto Salvage, operated by Nasser and Sayyam. Philly Auto Salvage sold more than $1 million worth of converters in 2023, prosecutors said, while Big Head Auto Salvage’s sales exceeded $300,000.

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer announced the arrests during a joint news conference Thursday morning.

“These organized theft crews were responsible for a large portion of the catalytic converter thefts in the Southeastern Pennsylvania region,” Steele said. “They caused significant financial hardship for vehicle owners while undermining the safety of our communities. By dismantling this theft ring, we are sending a clear message that this type of criminal activity and other organized theft rings in Montgomery and Delaware Counties will be investigated and prosecuted aggressively.”

Stollsteimer, meanwhile, described the “trail of fear” that catalytic converter thefts had left throughout the community.

“By working together, law enforcement has broken up and removed this dangerous ring of thieves from our streets and hopefully restored a sense of peace with the knowledge that such lawlessness will not be tolerated,” he said.

Police utilized electronic and visual surveillance, cell phone records, interviews, and other investigative techniques to ultimately make the arrests. Nearly 20 local police departments participated in the investigation, as well as Pennsylvania State Police and the FBI.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 19.