Lufkin Man Caught Stealing Catalytic Converters from Church Vans

Early Friday morning, Lufkin Police caught a man stealing catalytic converters from church vans and took him into custody.

Lufkin PD have identified the man as Bradley Brown, 37, of Lufkin. He was taken into custody around 3:45 a.m. after officers were called to the parking lot of Abundant Life Methodist Church at 1715 Sayers St. for suspicious activity. The caller said he thought he saw a man cutting something off of a church van.

An officer responded to the call and after arriving to the scene, he reported that he saw a man in an orange shirt under a van, but as the officer made the corner, he lost sight of the man. As the police officer got out of his unit, he saw the man in the orange shirt – later identified as Brown – take off running toward Kurth Drive into a wood line.

Police officers were able to establishe a small perimeter around the area.  Within a few seconds, Bradley Brown walked back out of the woods. Officers ordered him to the ground at gunpoint and took him into custody. According to the report, when officers told Brown he was being charged for stealing the catalytic converters Brown said, “I didn’t steal them. I was in the process.”

Police officers searched for additional evidence and were able to locate a Dewalt Sawzall and battery charger under the church vans. They also found three catalytic converters behind the church.

Bradley Brown has been charged with Class A theft and evading arrest.