Portsmouth police file more charges in case of stolen catalytic converters

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Portsmouth police have charged an additional person in connection with a slew of catalytic converters that were taken in Portsmouth earlier this week.

Police say they have arrested Breyon Warren, 24, of Richmond, in connection with an incident on June 21 in the 2500 block of Airline Boulevard.

Warren is charged with grand larceny, larceny with intent to sell, conspiracy, and destruction of property.

An officer on patrol saw suspicious activity at a used car dealer around 4 a.m. and went to investigate. When they pulled up, several people fled on foot and one in a vehicle.

Police arrested two men on June 21 after the incident on Airline Boulevard: 34-year-old Terrell Clay, of Richmond, and 23-year-old Spen’Shawn Battle. Police said they both allegedly had catalytic converters in their possession.

Since that initial incident, police said they identified and returned 18 catalytic converters to the business on Airline Boulevard, as well as two more to a location in the 3400 block of High Street. Some of those catalytic converters — as well as cutting and burglary tools — were found as detectives executed search warrants on three vehicles that were seized at the scene.

In addition, after the search warrant findings, police say Warren and Clay are now also facing charges in connection with a second incident involving catalytic converters that were stolen from a location in the 2400 block of High Street.

Police believe that incident happened sometime overnight from June 20 to the morning of June 21.

Police have filed additional charges against Clay in connection with the second incident. He was first charged with grand larceny, larceny with the intent to sell, conspiracy and destruction of property. He now also faces grand larceny, larceny with intent to sell, conspiracy, and destruction of property for the second incident.

Warren is charged with grand larceny, larceny with intent to sell, conspiracy, and destruction of property in connection with the incident on High Street, in addition to the other charges from the Airline Boulevard incident.

Both Warren and Clay have yet to be arrested on the new charges.