3 suspects caught cutting catalytic converter from Blount Co. church van, sheriff says

BLOUNT CO., Tenn. (WVLT) -Three people were arrested after they were caught cutting a catalytic converter from a van in a church parking lot, according to Blount County Sheriff James Berrong.

Shortly after midnight, sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a church located on Calderwood Highway to the report of a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot. Upon arrival, a deputy saw a small red sedan in the back parking lot. Once he got closer, the deputy reportedly spotted a man and woman standing near the church van, with another man underneath.

“One of the suspects attempted to flee on foot, but stopped when the deputy ordered him to the ground. As other deputies arrived, the three suspects were taken into custody,” Sheriff Berrong said.

Officials said that one of the suspects admitted that they tried to steal the catalytic converter for money. While on the scene, deputies found “burglary tools” and damage to the exhaust pipe near the location of the converter.

Church members told officials that the exact red vehicle was spotted in the church parking lot the night before, where also someone tried to remove a catalytic converter from one of the vans.

According to Sheriff Berrong, this incident prompted a citizen who spotted the vehicle to spend the night at the church in an effort to prevent the burglary.

Deputies arrested the following individuals:

• John William Hinkle, 26, of Knoxville, was charged with possession of burglary tools, burglary of a motor vehicle, and vandalism. He remains at the Blount County Correctional Facility on bonds totaling $13,500.
• Jonathan Hans Wellman, 19, of Knoxville, was charged with possession of burglary tools and burglary of a motor vehicle. He remains at the Blount County Correctional Facility on bonds totaling $6,000.
• Hannah Marie Handmacher, 20, of Speedwell, was charged with burglary of a motor vehicle. She remains at the Blount County Correctional Facility on a $3,500 bond.

“In this case, a member of the church staff witnessed these three individuals attempting to burglarize one of the church vans and he immediately reported it to 911,” Sheriff Berrong said. “Our deputies were able to respond quickly and catch the criminals in the act. Please don’t hesitate to report any suspicious activity. Sheriff’s deputies are constantly patrolling the county and our response time is normally within a few minutes of receiving a call. The sooner you report suspicious activity, the better chance we have of preventing a crime from occurring.”

The individuals are scheduled to appear in Blount County General Sessions Court at 9 a.m. on July 11.

Catalytic converter thefts are common, according to officials. Law enforcement has provided theft prevention tips that can be found here.

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