No felony charges
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Officers went to the 2100 block of West Roscoe in Roscoe Village around 2:05 a.m. on January 12 after a witness reported seeing someone using a green saw to cut a catalytic converter from a black 2014 Prius, according to a CPD report.
When the cops got there, they saw Dexter Williams, 35, trying to steal a catalytic converter from a different Prius, the report said. Williams ran into an alley, and officers said they found him hiding next to a garage.
The cops seized a green power saw and a car jack that was hoisting the second Prius into the air, according to CPD records. Then, they asked an assistant state’s attorney to charge Williams with felony theft.
She refused, according to notes on the officer’s report.
Instead, Dexter was charged with misdemeanor theft, and he was released from the police station on his own recognizance that afternoon.
According to state records, Williams is currently on parole for being a felon in possession of a firearm with a prior gun conviction. He has nine other felony convictions on his Illinois record, including a gun case, resisting arrest causing injury, aggravated battery in a public place, narcotics, and aggravated battery of a government employee.
Catalytic converter thieves, the scourge of car owners across Chicago, have been a problem for years. That’s because the thieves can pocket $100 to $200 for each device on the black market or at unscrupulous scrapyards. The converters, which reduce harmful emissions, are especially valuable because they contain small amounts of expensive metals.
