A 38-year-old man remains in critical condition after being run over by suspects stealing a catalytic converter in the Pasadena area. The victim, Michael Moreno, underwent emergency brain surgery after confronting thieves who were targeting his vehicle outside his home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The violent incident highlights the growing danger of catalytic converter thefts across parts of California, where thieves often act quickly and aggressively to escape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The incident occurred on February 12<\/strong> in an unincorporated neighborhood near Pasadena.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to friends, Michael Moreno\u2014known to many as \u201cMikey\u201d<\/strong>\u2014went outside after hearing suspicious noises near his vehicle on Garfias Drive. When he confronted individuals who were allegedly stealing his catalytic converter, the suspects struck him with their vehicle while attempting to flee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The impact left Moreno with life-threatening injuries<\/strong> and he was rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Friends say the confrontation led to devastating injuries for Moreno.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Doctors treated him for multiple serious conditions, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Loved ones say Moreno is known for his kindness and positive personality, making the attack especially heartbreaking for those close to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Friends believe the suspects were not acting randomly. According to witnesses, the thieves appeared to have scouted the neighborhood and the vehicle beforehand<\/strong>, suggesting the crime may have been planned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Investigators are now reviewing surveillance footage from nearby homes and checking reports that other vehicles in the neighborhood may have also been targeted<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Catalytic converter thefts are often organized because the devices contain valuable metals such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n These metals can be sold quickly on the black market, making catalytic converters a common target for thieves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Across many communities in California, catalytic converter theft has increased in recent years due to the high value of the metals used in emissions systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Criminals often:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Pasadena case highlights how dangerous these crimes can become when victims confront suspects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Friends and family are asking anyone with information about the suspects to contact authorities. Investigators are especially interested in:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Supporters say Moreno is now focused on recovery as he continues to fight for his life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A catalytic converter is part of a vehicle\u2019s exhaust system that reduces harmful emissions before they exit the tailpipe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They contain valuable metals such as platinum, palladium, and rhodium<\/strong>, which can be sold for high prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Experienced thieves can remove a catalytic converter in under two minutes<\/strong> using power tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Experts recommend calling law enforcement immediately<\/strong> rather than confronting suspects, as these crimes can quickly turn violent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Common prevention methods include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n SEO Keywords<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Pasadena catalytic converter theft, man run over by thieves California, catalytic converter crime Pasadena, catalytic converter theft injuries, California car theft crimes, catalytic converter safety tips, Pasadena crime news 2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A 38-year-old man remains in critical condition after being run over by suspects stealing a catalytic converter in the Pasadena area. The victim, Michael Moreno, underwent emergency brain surgery after confronting thieves who were targeting his vehicle outside his home. The violent incident highlights the growing danger of catalytic converter thefts across parts of California, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"saved_in_kubio":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2866","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportpro.cc\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2866","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportpro.cc\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportpro.cc\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportpro.cc\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportpro.cc\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2866"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sportpro.cc\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2866\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2867,"href":"https:\/\/sportpro.cc\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2866\/revisions\/2867"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportpro.cc\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2866"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportpro.cc\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2866"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportpro.cc\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2866"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n\n\n\nTimeline of the Incident<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
Event<\/th> Details<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> Date of incident<\/td> February 12, 2026<\/td><\/tr> Location<\/td> Garfias Drive, Pasadena area<\/td><\/tr> Victim<\/td> Michael Moreno, 38<\/td><\/tr> Crime<\/td> Catalytic converter theft<\/td><\/tr> Result<\/td> Victim run over by suspects<\/td><\/tr> Current condition<\/td> Critical after emergency brain surgery<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nSevere Injuries After the Attack<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
Injury Type<\/th> Description<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> Brain injury<\/td> Required emergency surgery<\/td><\/tr> Broken ankles<\/td> Both ankles fractured in the incident<\/td><\/tr> Leg injuries<\/td> Significant trauma and scarring<\/td><\/tr> Overall condition<\/td> Critical but receiving ongoing treatment<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nSuspects May Have Planned the Theft<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
Metal<\/th> Reason thieves target it<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> Platinum<\/td> High market value<\/td><\/tr> Palladium<\/td> Used in emission systems<\/td><\/tr> Rhodium<\/td> Extremely rare and expensive<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nGrowing Concern Over Catalytic Converter Theft<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nCommunity Urged to Help Investigators<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nFAQ: Catalytic Converter Theft and Safety<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
What is a catalytic converter?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nWhy do thieves steal catalytic converters?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nHow long does it take to steal one?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nWhat should you do if you hear someone tampering with your car?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nHow can drivers prevent catalytic converter theft?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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