Inglewood police seek suspects in death of man who tried to stop catalytic converter theft

Inglewood police said Saturday they are searching for two suspects in the shooting death of a man who intervened in an attempted catalytic converter theft last week.

Early Tuesday morning, police said, the victim tried to stop two men from stealing a neighbor’s catalytic converter in the 1000 block of North Chester Avenue in Inglewood. One of the men fatally shot the victim in the chest, police said.

In a GoFundMe post, family members identified the man as Juan Sanchez, 48, and described him as a “a devoted husband, a loving father” and a “proud grandfather.”

“He was the kind of person who always put others before himself, offering a helping hand, a listening ear, or a smile that could brighten even the darkest days. His strength, wisdom, and generosity were the foundation of his family, and his loss leaves a void that can never be filled,” the post said.

As of Saturday, more than $36,000 had been raised support Sanchez’s family, which the fundraiser said includes a wife, two children and a grandchild.

Inglewood police said the suspects were driving a gold Toyota Camry with tinted windows and a sunroof. The model year is thought to be between 2002 and 2006.

Inglewood Police Department notice.

(Kristin Dennis)

Police released a flier with surveillance video images and additional information on the suspects.

Over the years, thieves in Southern California have made catalytic converters a popular target because they can be sold for their high concentration of precious metals.

In the most notorious incident, “General Hospital” actor Johnny Wactor was fatally shot in downtown Los Angeles last May as he approached several men trying to remove a catalytic converter from his car, police said. Three months later, prosecutors charged four men in connection with the crime.

In 2023, the Los Angeles City Council voted to make it illegal to possess an unattached catalytic converter without proof of ownership.

Through the first half of 2024, 2,113 catalytic converters were stolen in Los Angeles, according to data the LAPD released last year. The figure does not include Inglewood or unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County.