Thief takes $10,000 worth of parts from Hyundai dealership

Somebody with a craving for catalytic converters made off with more than $10,000 of the pollution-controlling devices Friday night, stolen from new cars at a Spokane Valley dealership.

The cars were parked at Hallmark Hyundai, 8801 E. Sprague Ave., and somebody used a wrench to remove the converters, as well as the gaskets and fittings for each, said Spokane Valley Police spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan. The parts are worth $1,000 each.

A spokesman for Hallmark Hyundai said the parts could be recycled for the platinum in them, but it was more likely the parts would be sold on the black market to repair shops.

The thefts occurred between 9 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday. Anyone with information is asked to call 242-TIPS.

Waste Management suffers copper theft again

Copper thieves were again at work in Spokane Valley, this time hitting a business that already lost copper wire this summer.

Somebody climbed a fence at Waste Management, 11720 E. First Ave., and took cables that were used to charge vehicles in cold weather, said Reagan.

WM was hit by a thief July 4 who stole the same type of copper cables. This time, the company was hit between noon Friday and 4 a.m. Monday.

Anyone with information is asked to call 242-TIPS.

Thief nets empty cash register from coffee shop

Thieves also hit an espresso stand early Monday and took an empty cash register.

Police responding to a burglar alarm at Walnut Street Perk, 12215 E. Sprague Ave., discovered somebody had used a rock to smash the window of the door, said Reagan.

The thief took the cash register. Anyone with information is asked to call 242-TIPS.