A Moore County native was booked on Thursday for allegedly stealing a catalytic converter at the Warren County Walmart.
Steven J. Riva, 47, was arrested on Dec. 8 for theft of property and vandalism. Detective Chris McCormick of the McMinnville Police Department received a report from Paula Gunter on Dec. 2 of a theft that occurred on Friday, Dec. 1.
Gunter works at the Walmart pharmacy and told the detective that when she went to her car for her lunch break, her car sounded like her muffler had been cut off. Gunter took her 2015 Honda CRV to a shop where it was confirmed the catalytic converter had been taken from the vehicle.
According to McCormick, “Video shows Mr. Riva’s truck, a white 2016 Nissan Frontier, enter into the parking lot. While Mr. Riva waited for his girlfriend, Amber Brown, to return property inside Walmart, the video shows Mr. Riva exit his vehicle and remove the catalytic converter, causing damage to the Honda CRV owned by Paula Gunter. Mr. Riva then enters back into his truck. Ms. Brown then returns, and the couple leave the property with the catalytic converter.”
Det. McCormick spoke with detectives in Coffee County to advise them of the occurrence and ask if they had similar instances. McCormick gave a description of the white Nissan to Coffee Co. detectives. The Coffee Co. detectives also had video footage of a white Nissan, and, after comparing images, it was confirmed that they caught the same vehicle on video. Det. McCormick ran the tags from the Coffee County video which linked Riva to the Nissan.
According to McCormick, “On the same day, Mr. Riva sold the stolen catalytic converter to Craig Banks, the owner of Short Mountain metals located in Woodbury.” Banks confirmed to McCormick that Riva was the owner of the Nissan and the seller of the converter.
McCormick then told the Standard, “I then had enough evidence to sign warrants.” On Dec. 8, Steven Riva was transported to the Warren County Jail where he allegedly admitted to stealing the converter. He was charged with one count of theft of property and one count of vandalism.
The catalytic converter was later recovered and it was confirmed to have come from a Honda.
