Newport Police charge man in connection with catalytic converter thefts

NEWPORT — Chief Travis Bingham reports that the Newport Police Department charged a man in connection with a series of recent catalytic converter thefts.

ELIJAH EMERSON, AGE 31, OF NEWPORT, was arrested and charged with:

Grand Larceny

Unlawful Mischief

On Monday, May 16, at about 7:30 a.m., Newport Police received a call from a man who reported that the catalytic converter had been removed from a truck at his business on Farrant Street. The caller reported that they believed the alleged theft occurred during the weekend.

Responding officers confirmed that the catalytic converter was missing from the victim’s vehicle.

During the investigation, police received information about the theft and were able to identify the suspect as EMERSON, who is known to police.

Newport Police applied for and were granted a search warrant for a residence on East Main Street where EMERSON was believed to be staying. On Tuesday, May 17, at about 6:47 p.m., police executed the search warrant and placed EMERSON under arrest.

While searching the residence, police seized a catalytic convertor, a substance suspected to be heroin, and other drug paraphernalia.

During the course of the investigation, police determined that EMERSON has been responsible for six other catalytic converter thefts in the area in the past few months.

EMERSON was held on Tuesday night at Northern State Correctional Facility in Newport on $1,500 bail. He is expected to be arraigned in Orleans County Criminal Court on Wednesday.

These are allegations. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty.