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Oakland Man Arrested In Series Of Catalytic Converter Thefts In Santa Cruz County

OAKLAND (CBS SF) – An Oakland man has been arrested in connection with catalytic converter thefts in Santa Cruz County, authorities said.

Santa Cruz County sheriff's office detectives and a multi-agency auto theft task force known as the SCARE Team arrested 20-year-old Yudel Castillo in Oakland without incident around noon on Thursday.

Detectives said Castillo traveled to the county, which is located more than 50 miles away from Oakland, to perform the thefts.

Castillo was booked on multiple charges including grand theft, evading officers and possession of burglary tools, according to the sheriff's office. He is being held in the Santa Cruz County jail on $125,000 bail.

It was not immediately known when Castillo would appear in court on the charges.

Thefts of the expensive emissions equipment have been on the rise throughout the Bay Area due to the price of the precious metals inside. For victims, replacement costs can reach thousands of dollars.

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