Michigan City Schools Close Because Someone Stole 20 School Bus Catalytic Converters

Michigan City schools were forced to cancel in-person classes Tuesday morning after thieves stole catalytic converters from at least 20 school buses parked at the district’s bus garage.

Buses In Indiana Targeted in Overnight Theft

The theft left a large portion of the bus fleet unusable, making it impossible to transport students to school.

A longtime bus driver said she first noticed something was wrong around 5 a.m. when she started a bus and heard unusual noises. Mechanics later discovered the catalytic converter had been removed. Soon after, district staff realized many more buses had been targeted, impacting nearly a third of the fleet.

Parents Frustrated by Disruption

For parents, the surprise shift to eLearning was a major challenge.“Literally this morning, right before our kids were walking to the bus, I got the news,” said parent Magen Mazurkiewicz, who has four children in the district. “It’s very hard. I don’t like it at all.”

Mazurkiewicz explained that managing multiple children at home with limited devices has been stressful. Her high school student has not yet received a school-issued computer, leaving him to complete work on an iPad. “It’s very, very hard to do it on the iPad,” she added.

Schools Adjust Schedules

District officials announced that early learning centers, pre-K, and elementary schools would reopen for in-person classes on Wednesday. However, middle school and high school students will continue with eLearning for another day while transportation is restored.

Police Investigation Underway

Michigan City police are investigating the thefts and believe the crimes took place overnight. Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact Corporal Brinkman at 219-874-3221, extension 1088, or by email at abrinkman@emichigancity.com.

Catalytic converter thefts have become increasingly common across the country due to the valuable metals inside, but officials say this theft is particularly damaging since it directly disrupted student learning just days into the new school year.

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