Catalytic converter thief to be released from jail

With his statutory release date set for about a month from now, convicted burglar Walter Viveiros had his sentencing term corrected on the record in a Barrie courtroom on Monday. He will be out months sooner than expected due to his pretrial custody credit being miscalculated.

The 50-year-old from Bradford was found guilty of being part of a crime spree in Barrie, Innisfil, Bradford and the GTA that resulted in nearly 200 charges against him and three other men.

Viveiros was convicted and sentenced to two years less a day in October of last year with credit for pretrial custody.

He pleaded guilty to several counts of break and enter of local businesses and property theft, including catalytic converters.

South Simcoe Police said that when the investigation began in 2022, investigators recovered stolen scrap metal, catalytic converters, steel, and wire worth more than $100,000.

The crime spree, investigators said, consisted of break-and-enters at stores and commercial properties where several of these items were taken along with power tools, equipment and vehicles by a group of men who were all arrested.

Officers say they also recovered eight stolen vehicles, a skid steer, a commercial dumpster, a forklift, chainsaws, and several pressure washers.

According to court documents, two other men have resolved their matters.

Earlier this year, Terrence Zerafa of Innisfil, one of Viveiros’ co-accused, pleaded guilty to five counts of stealing power tools, breaking into several businesses and having a stolen 2006 Ford E-350 cargo van.

Following his release, Viveiros was placed on probation for three years and ordered to pay restitution of about $6,000 and another $20,000 if convicted in civil court.

Terrence Zerafa outside the courthouse in Barrie, Ont., on Wed., May. 29, 2024. (CTV News/Mike Arsalides)

Zerafa is scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday.