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Sheriff: Man killed while trying to steal catalytic converter near Zebulon

A 50-year-old man was found dead underneath a car while trying to steal a catalytic converter, according to officials with the Wake County Sheriff's Office.

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ZEBULON, N.C. — A 50-year-old man was found dead underneath a car while trying to steal a catalytic converter on Monday morning, according to officials with the Wake County Sheriff's Office.

Joshua Larry Diehl was underneath a disabled car when the jack he was using malfunctioned and was stuck pinned underneath the car on U.S. Route 64 at Debnam Road in Zebulon.

"It is unknown how long Diehl may have been under the vehicle before being discovered," officials said.

The owner of the car was on her way home from work on Sunday night and had to pull over because she had a flat tire, officials said. She had a friend pick her up and made plans to have the car towed on Monday morning.

The tow truck driver who arrived at the scene to pick up the disabled car found Diehl's body, according to authorities.

Catalytic converter thefts have increased since the start of the pandemic, mostly due to the rising value of precious metals that make up the converter, according to Wake County Sheriff Gerald Baker.

Investigators are looking into Diehl to see if he may be connected to other catalytic converter thefts in the area.

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