Okotoks RCMP busted a pair charged with the theft of several catalytic converters.

At around 8:30 on Monday, police were flagged down by a victim near the Canadian Tire. The victim said they had been parked when the catalytic converter was cut off and stolen.

The victim couldn't identify the suspect but told officers they fled in a white Chevrolet truck.

RCMP dispatched multiple members, who quickly located a matching vehicle nearby. 

Both occupants of the vehicle were arrested, and officers found several catalytic converters, along with power tools, and a small amount of a substance believed to be cocaine.

Ryan McLaren and Paul Joseph Bertoli, both 38 of Okotoks, have been jointly charged with the following:

  • Possession of property under $5,000
  • Possession of break-in instruments
  • Theft under $5,000
  • Mischief under $5,000
  • Possession of a controlled substance

The accused were each released following a hearing and are both scheduled to appear in Okotoks court on January 17, 2020.