Blaine man arrested following large increase in catalytic converter thefts

A Blaine man is allegedly behind a “crew of thieves” who may have stolen as many as 100 catalytic converters in Whatcom County, causing up to $100,000 in estimated losses for county residents.

The thefts are alleged to have occurred in late 2018 and early 2019, when Whatcom County experienced a significant increase in automotive catalytic converter thefts, which can cost each victim $1,000 or more.

A catalytic converter is an exhaust emission control device located on the underside of an automobile.

Shawn Bannon, 52, has been arrested and booked into jail for four counts of first-degree trafficking in stolen property and five counts of attempted trafficking in stolen property. Bannon is the owner of SAB Recycling LLC, located north of Bellingham on Guide Meridian.

According to a news release from the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, Bannon was arrested following an investigation that involved the use of an informant. The informant was initially caught after one theft of a catalytic converter was captured on video surveillance.

After being identified and contacted, the informant confessed to his involvement in that theft and three other thefts. The informant then agreed to cooperate with the investigation, and provided details of the entire operation.

According to the informant, stolen catalytic converters were often sold to Bannon, who had a “crew of thieves” who received pay for them. Bannon allegedly paid the thieves in cash and did not keep records of the sales as required by law.

Bannon “actively manages the crew and warns them to lay low when he feels the thefts are capturing too much attention,” according to the informant, who also said that “catalytic converter thefts in Whatcom County would likely stop if Bannon wasn’t buying them.”

During the investigation led by the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, detectives observed and recorded five catalytic converter sales between the informant and Bannon. For each sale, the informant was provided catalytic converters and set up with a recording device.

“During these sales, Bannon was recorded telling the informant what types of catalytic converters were worth the most money, to limit the amount they were stealing and to not do anything else in Whatcom County until things calmed down,” read the news release from the sheriff’s office.

The Ferndale, Bellingham and Lynden police departments also participated in the investigation, which identified several local suspects who were selling stolen catalytic converters to Bannon.