They're out now. But if they keep doing this, we will lock them up again and again.
In Orangeburg County, two men were arrested in mid-January after traffic stops revealed 45 stolen catalytic converters between them — devices prized by thieves for the precious metals they contain. The arrests exposed what investigators believe was an organized stripping operation, yet both men walked free on modest bonds, one of them already carrying prior charges for the same crime. The case quietly illuminates a tension as old as justice itself: the distance between catching someone and truly stopping them.
- Forty-five stolen catalytic converters recovered across two separate traffic stops point to a coordinated, ongoing theft operation in Orangeburg County.
- One suspect was found with saw blades — the tools of the trade — while the other presented a fraudulent metal permit before being re-arrested the very next day with 17 more converters.
- Mark Miles Jr. was already out on bond from identical 2021 charges, raising sharp questions about whether the justice system's revolving door is enabling repeat offenders.
- Despite 24 combined charges and clear evidence of organized criminal activity, both men were released — one for $4,100, the other for $6,000 — before their cases could move forward.
- Sheriff Leroy Ravenell offered a blunt but weary promise: 'If they keep doing this, we will lock them up again and again' — a statement that captured the frustration as much as the resolve.
In mid-January, Orangeburg County's Special Operations unit made two arrests that together revealed what appeared to be an organized catalytic converter theft ring. These emissions-control devices have become high-value targets because of the precious metals inside them, and the scale of what officers found — 45 converters across two stops — suggested a supply chain, not a casual crime.
The first arrest came on January 18, when Lonnie Padgett Jr., 33, was pulled over on River Vista Drive for traffic violations. Inside his vehicle, officers found 21 catalytic converters and a set of saw blades — tools well-suited for quickly cutting the devices from parked cars. Padgett was charged with unlawful transportation and possession of non-ferrous metals and released on a $4,100 bond.
A week later, Mark Miles Jr., 37, was stopped at a safety checkpoint. A marijuana smell led to a search that turned up seven converters in his truck bed. Miles produced what appeared to be a valid metal permit, and officers let him go — until investigators discovered the permit was fraudulent. Compounding matters, Miles was already out on bond from 2021 catalytic converter charges, meaning he had no legal standing to possess the devices at all.
Officers tracked Miles down the following day and found 17 more converters in his truck that had been missed in the initial search. He ultimately faced 24 counts of unlawful possession and transportation, yet was released on a $6,000 bond after a January 28 hearing. Sheriff Leroy Ravenell acknowledged the difficulty plainly, promising repeated arrests if the behavior continued — a statement that spoke less to confidence than to the stubborn gap between enforcement and accountability.
In mid-January, law enforcement in Orangeburg County moved against what appeared to be an organized operation targeting catalytic converters—the emissions-control devices mounted on vehicle undersides that have become a lucrative target for thieves because of the precious metals inside them. Two men would eventually face charges in connection with the theft of 45 converters across separate incidents, though both would walk free on bond before their cases moved forward.
The first arrest came on January 18 when Lonnie Padgett Jr., 33, was stopped by the county's Special Operations unit on River Vista Drive near Canaan for traffic violations. Officers searching the vehicle discovered 21 catalytic converters stacked inside, along with saw blades—tools consistent with the quick removal of the devices from parked cars. Padgett was charged with unlawful transportation and possession of non-ferrous metals in a vehicle, and also cited for driving with a suspended license. He was released on a $4,100 bond, with prosecutors indicating additional charges were forthcoming.
A week later, on January 25, officers conducting a traffic safety checkpoint at the intersection of Mixon Mill and Riley roads pulled over a black pickup truck driven by Mark Miles Jr., 37. The smell of marijuana emanating from the cab prompted a search, which turned up seven catalytic converters in the truck bed. Miles produced what he claimed was a metal permit authorizing him to transport the devices. Officers issued him a citation for the marijuana and let him go—but investigators soon discovered the permit was fraudulent. Miles was out on bond from 2021 charges related to catalytic converter theft, which meant he had no legal authority to possess the converters at all.
Special Operations launched a search for Miles the following day and located him on Cannon Bridge Road, taking him into custody. When they searched his truck again, they found 17 additional catalytic converters that had not been discovered in the initial stop. The total haul across both men—45 converters—suggested a coordinated effort to strip vehicles across the county and move the stolen goods through a supply chain.
Miles faced 24 counts of unlawful transportation and possession of non-ferrous metals. Despite the severity of the charges and his prior conviction on similar offenses, he was released on a $6,000 bond following a hearing on January 28. Orangeburg County Sheriff Leroy Ravenell acknowledged the frustration inherent in the situation. "They're out now," he said, but added a warning: "If they keep doing this, we will lock them up again and again." The remark underscored a persistent challenge in property crime enforcement—the gap between arrest and sustained incarceration, and the question of whether bond conditions alone could deter repeat offenders from returning to the same crimes.
Notable Quotes
Special Operations has been actively searching for those individuals who are doing this. Looking at these converters in person you can get a firsthand glimpse into the damage these people are doing.— Sheriff Leroy Ravenell
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why catalytic converters specifically? What makes them such a target?
They contain platinum, palladium, and rhodium—metals worth real money at scrap yards. You can remove one in under a minute with the right tools. A single converter might fetch $50 to $300 depending on the vehicle and market price. It's low risk, quick cash.
So this wasn't just two guys acting alone.
The saw blades found with Padgett, the coordination across multiple stops, the fact that Miles had prior charges from 2021—this looks like an operation. Someone's organizing the theft, someone's moving the converters, someone's selling them. These two are likely part of a larger chain.
Why was Miles released after that first stop?
He had a permit. Or what looked like one. The officer had no reason to suspect it was fake at that moment. It wasn't until investigators dug deeper and realized he was out on bond for the exact same crime that the pieces connected.
And then they found 17 more converters in his truck the second time.
Right. Which tells you he wasn't stopping. He wasn't deterred by the first encounter. He went back out and kept doing it.
Both men were released on bond. Does that suggest the system isn't taking this seriously?
It's complicated. Bond is supposed to ensure someone shows up for trial, not necessarily to punish them. But when someone's already been charged with the same crime before, and they're released again, it raises a real question about whether the conditions are strong enough to break the cycle.