Catalytic Converter Thefts

We’re noticing a slight uptick in catalytic converter thefts, many months after the trend appeared to have ended. Precious metals inside catalytic converters make them valuable to thieves. Vehicles with high ground clearance make the parts easier to steal.

Cars most likely to have their catalytic converters stolen are models with high ground clearance like Ford F-Series trucks, Honda Accords, Toyota Priuses, Honda CR-Vs, along with other SUVs, work vans and hybrids.

The best way to prevent catalytic converter theft might be to clean out your garage—seriously! Parking your vehicle in a secure garage overnight is the best deterrent. If that’s not possible, deter thieves by parking in a well-lit area and using motion-sensor lights, dashcams with parking mode and alarms set to vibrate.

January-February Crime Trends

Northwest Division Property Crimes Investigators want you to be aware of a string of nearly 20 thefts from motor vehicles during the first two months of 2026. In all incidents, the victims’ cars or trucks were left unlocked and burglars got away with numerous guns, a credit card, purse, backpacks and other valuables.

One case near Ten Mile Bridge Road was especially alarming. In early February, a resident reported the theft of a loaded rifle and a black purse with vehicle key fob inside. A neighbor’s surveillance video captured an image of the suspect carrying the rifle while continuing to pull on other vehicle door handles. 

Entirely Preventable

The neighbor whose camera recorded this image was not burglarized. Why? She told us the suspect also pulled on her car door handle, but because it was locked, the suspect moved on to other vehicles. The same suspect stole another gun the following week. If you have information about this incident, please contact Tarrant County Crime Stoppers.

You can help us prevent motor vehicle burglaries by doing three simple things:

1) Always lock your vehicle. At home, in a parking lot and when you’re driving.

2) Don’t leave items inside your vehicle. Thieves will steal anything that looks like it could be valuable, even if it’s not.

3) Take your keys. Never leave keys in the console or on the floorboard.

Help Us Help Homeless

The City of Fort Worth is working to prioritize homeless camp complaints. You can help by continuing to report homeless camps on the city’s MyFW app and providing a few more details. The city has added three questions to the MyFW homeless camp reporting button to determine if camps include anyone under 18, are within 500 feet of a school or daycare or show signs of criminal activity. Knowing this information helps the city respond accordingly. Learn more about the programs and services the city and its partners offer to homeless persons at fortworthtexas.gov/change. Find the free MyFW app in your Apple or Android app store.

Pet Rescue Donation

Christine Watson of the Duke & Oliver Foundation recently presented NPO Megan Vorce with an emergency oxygen kit—for pets! After one of the non-profit group’s founders lost their dog to a house fire, the group began providing the oxygen kits to firefighters and other first responders. The kits have smaller face masks, shaped to fit dog snouts!

Hang up on unexpected calls saying you owe back taxes. It’s a scam. Phone scams claiming you owe back taxes are on the rise, but it’s not the IRS calling. Scammers using names like “Tax Resolution Oversight Department” are fake. Even if you owe back taxes, the IRS’s first contact with you will always come by mail, not by phone or text. So just hang up. Here’s how to avoid an IRS impersonator and get real help:

- Never give an unexpected caller personal or financial information. It’s probably a scammer hoping to drain your bank account or steal your identity.

- Check the official government website irs.gov for trustworthy information about your taxes.

- If you need to speak with someone, only use a phone number found on the IRS website—never one a scammer gives you.

Get Free Help Filing Taxes

At local Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) centers, you can sit down with a certified volunteer who will help you review your documents, complete your tax forms, understand what you may owe – and ideally get the largest return possible. It’s free! VITA also can help you enroll in financial education and coaching or develop skills for the workforce. There’s a VITA office at Northside Community Center, 1100 NW 18th St., open now through April 15, Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and Saturday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

To find a free VITA center closer to you, call 817-258-8106 or check online.

Scrap Tire Collection

A cleaner city is a safer city, so as part of the Cowtown Great American Cleanup, the City of Fort Worth is accepting scrap tires on March 28. On this day only, residents can dispose of unwanted tires from passenger vehicles (cars, trucks, motorcycles, SUVs, bicycles, scooters) as well as tires from small equipment such as lawnmowers, dollies and carts. Get rid of old tires for free while helping to reduce illegal dumping, minimize landfill waste and prevent fire hazards-- not to mention eliminating potential mosquito breeding grounds.

Saturday, March 28, 8 a.m. – noon

Location: Fort Worth City Hall back parking lot (Forest Park Blvd. entrance)

Guidelines: Remove dirt, water, oil and paint from tires. If possible, separate rims from tires. No limit on the number of tires, but tires from commercial vehicles or 18-wheelers are NOT accepted.

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What is an Abandoned Vehicle?

City streets are public, so you can’t prevent someone from parking on the street in front of your home. However, FWPD’s Abandoned Vehicle Unit works to remove junked vehicles that are a nuisance to neighborhoods.

According to city ordinance, a vehicle is considered junked if it remains inoperable on public property for more than 72 consecutive hours. This includes vehicles that lack a lawfully attached, unexpired registration sticker or license plate, as well as those that are wrecked, dismantled or partially dismantled.

Commercial vehicles are allowed to park on public streets only while actively loading or unloading, and this activity must not exceed two hours. This ensures commercial activity can occur while preventing long-term parking that could disrupt traffic flow or impact neighborhood safety and accessibility. For questions or to report a violation:

Call 817-392-1234

Use the MyFW app

Or email 1234@fortworthtexas.gov

North Side Neighbors

North Side Neighborhood Association president AJ Garcia (right) thanked NPO Zach Briseño for giving the February crime report. Officer Briseño also shared information about the Citizens on Patrol volunteer program and urged residents to get involved. The association meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of the month at Northside Community Center, 1100 NW 18^th St., and welcomes all North Side neighbors to share concerns and ideas.

Employee Safety Steps

Our thanks to the folks at Traulsen Refrigeration for reaching out to their NPO and crime prevention specialist. Company officials gave us a tour, then we sat down and discussed possible steps to make their property even safer for employees. If your company is interested in receiving an in-person evaluation, plus helpful safety handouts for employees, contact your NPO or Crime Prevention Specialist Dot Kent.

Stockyards Safety

City Council has approved an increase in funds for pedestrian safety improvements in the Fort Worth Stockyards. The additional funds total $860,000 and are part of the 2026-2030 Capital Improvement Program.

The funding will improve pedestrian safety in the Stockyards area, specifically along East Exchange Avenue from Main Street to Packers Avenue. Traffic bollards will be installed to control vehicle access during special events to protect pedestrians. A similar initiative is planned for West Exchange Avenue from North Houston to Main Street.

Construction will start soon at North Main and NW 24th Streets for a traffic signal with beacon for the pedestrian crosswalk. Bollards installation on East Exchange will start in March. Funding comes from several sources, including the Police Department’s Crime Control & Prevention District and Public Events Capital Fund.

New HND Members

The Historic Northside District welcomed several new faces at its February meeting. The gatherings are opportunities for businesses and residents along and near the North Main Street corridor to hear updates on improvement projects and safety, as well as share ideas and contacts. Thanks to El Patrón Restaurant for hosting. Next meeting is 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 3 at Espinoza’s Produce, 1236 N. Commerce St. Invite a friend and join us!

Citizens on Patrol

Northwest Citizens on Patrol (COP) volunteers meet monthly, and a highlight of each meeting is hearing crime reports from the division’s neighborhood patrol officers. Officers share what’s trending on each beat, so COPs can keep a lookout when patrolling their neighborhoods. If you’d like to consider volunteering to be an extra set of “eyes and ears” for police and keep your neighborhood safe, please contact COP coordinator Jessica Vazquez.

Not All Work

COP members also take part in trainings, assist with emergency preparedness simulations and learn about different units within the city and police department. They also take part in several social gatherings each year, such as COP Bingo.