OAKLAND — Catalytic converter thieves shot at two vehicle owners Wednesday morning in East Oakland, with one of the victims getting injured by shrapnel, authorities said.
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The suspects were being sought Thursday.
The shooting that injured one owner happened about 4:39 a.m. Wednesday in the 4000 block of Mera Street.
According to initial police reports, a 55-year-old man had been sleeping but awoke to noise coming from outside his home. When he went to check, he saw two masked men cutting the catalytic converter from his parked car.
When they saw the man, they ran with the converter to a waiting vehicle which began driving away. One of the occupants fired several shots at the man, which hit his gate and his vehicle. Shrapnel from one of the shots struck the man in the hip. He did not require hospitalization.
Less than 10 minutes earlier, police believe the same thieves struck in the 4500 block of Melrose Avenue, about a half-mile away.
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A 61-year-old resident told police he heard noises from outside his home and when he went outside to look, saw his car on jacks and two masked men removing the converter. He yelled at them to leave; as they ran off with the converter to a waiting vehicle, one of the thieves fired shots at the resident, but did not hit him.
Detailed descriptions of the suspects and the vehicle they were in — believed to be an Infiniti sedan — were not released.
Anyone with information may call investigators at 510-238-3426. Anyone with video or other images that might assist in the investigation may e-mail them to [email protected].
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