WINNSBORO, S.C. — Authorities say that thieves stole catalytic converters from buses belonging to the Fairfield County Transit System in Winnsboro overnight.
According to Fairfield County Transit System (FCTS) Executive Director Diana White, around 4:43 a.m. Friday, an employee at the FCTS parking lot noticed the catalytic converter was missing from his assigned bus. Upon further inspection of the parking lot, authorities found eight buses had the catalytic converter removed from them.
The suspects had been able to cut the fence at the site to get into the lot.
FCTS operates a fleet of 14 vehicles -- 11 cutaway buses and 3 vans. Officials said that thieves targeted the larger buses. FCTS is in the process of replacing the converters; however, some buses may not be operable until Wednesday at the earliest, due to supply line issues.
In the meantime, routes will be combined in an effort to continue service within the county beginning Monday.
Catalytic converter thefts have recently become popular due to the amount of platinum they contain. A South Carolina law passed in 2021 now requires businesses to keep records and receipts, including the vehicle identification number (VIN) of cars from which catalytic converters have been removed in order to try and stop the theft and resale of the parts.
