Brazen thugs armed with baseball bats allegedly stole a car’s catalytic convertor while it was parked in its owner’s driveway in a broad daylight theft. The gang of car thieves targeted a Toyota Corolla Hybrid in Harrow, north-west London, at around 9.50pm on July 1. Shocking doorbell footage caught the moment the robbers, who were … Read more
Catalytic converter thefts soar due to rocketing value of precious metals they contain Some police forces saw thefts rise by more than 400 per cent due to gangs Thefts across England, Wales and Northern Ireland risen by 104 per cent Rare metals that are found in catalytic converters are more valuable than gold By Rebecca … Read more
Toyota has announced it is to spend more than £1million as part of a ploy to capture catalytic converter thieves red handed. The Japanese car maker has said it will ‘covertly’ mark more than 100,000 of the devices fitted to older cars – at no cost to owners – in a bid to help police … Read more
Catalytic converter thefts are at an all-time high, with a 44 per cent increase in claims in 2020, compared to 2019, new research has revealed. Thefts remain high so far in 2021 with a 57 per cent increase in claims for catalytic converter thefts in March this year compared to the same month last year, … Read more
The AA has described the rise in catalytic converter thefts from vehicles as an ‘explosion’ after reporting that its patrols attended almost 4,000 cases last year where emissions devices had been ripped from the underside of cars. The vehicle recovery service said it was called to just 57 instances of broken down motors found to … Read more
‘Cat burglars’ strike again: Moment brazen thieves pull up in broad daylight and steal catalytic converter from car parked on residential street… and it only takes minutes The two thieves approach a Toyota 2006 Prius hybrid parked on the road One of the suspects uses a lever to raise the car before sliding underneath He removes … Read more
‘Cat burglars’ strike again: Moment brazen thieves pull up in broad daylight and steal catalytic converter from car parked on residential street… and it only takes minutes The two thieves approach a Toyota 2006 Prius hybrid parked on the road One of the suspects uses a lever to raise the car before sliding underneath He removes … Read more
Thefts of catalytic converters from vehicles parked on the street and in driveways are on the rise, an insurer has warned this week. Criminals have in recent years preyed on the exhaust devices as they contain valuable metal parts that can be sold at a premium. Records show that thefts declined when the UK went into … Read more
Owners of petrol cars are being warned that their vehicles are at high risk if parked on the street as catalytic converter thefts surged last year. Thefts of the devices from the underside of cars rose six-fold in 2019 with 13,000 reported cases in England and Wales – up from 2,000 the year previous, according … Read more
The loosening of lockdown is leading to a resurgence in ‘cat crime’ – not of the feline variety, but thieves stealing catalytic converters from cars. I know first hand – as earlier this month, just before dawn one Friday, a crook brazenly cut mine out of my Toyota Prius in a matter of moments. I … Read more