Thieves Steal Catalytic Converters, Disrupt Indiana School Bus Fleet, Drive Students to Online Learning

      Robb Hill for The Washington Post via Getty Images

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      This week, students in Michigan City, Indiana experienced an unexpected day of remote learning when bus drivers discovered that their buses had their catalytic converters stolen. Local officials reported that over a third of the school district's buses were affected in this overnight theft.

      As a result, the district had to cancel in-person classes for all grades on Tuesday, switching to remote learning instead. On Wednesday, buses were made available for elementary and preschool children, while middle and high school students continued with remote instruction for another day.

      The first bus driver to leave the district’s garage on Tuesday morning noticed something was wrong due to her bus's loud exhaust. School district personnel promptly checked the remaining buses and found that more than a dozen were also missing their catalytic converters.

      Although the district calls its bus depot a “garage,” this term is mostly used to indicate the presence of service facilities there. The entire fleet is too large to fit into any buildings that can be seen in aerial photos of the area, which is surrounded by woods and largely hidden from the street.

      Catalytic converters are part of automotive exhaust systems, located away from the passenger area, typically low at the back of the vehicle for easy access from beneath, especially on taller vehicles like school buses. The valuable precious metals found in these converters make them prime targets for thieves seeking quick profit.

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