People urged to stay vigilant over catalytic converter thefts
A rise in catalytic converter thefts has been reported to police.
Staffordshire Police is calling on people to stay vigilant as intelligence shows many of these crimes take place in broad daylight and in full view of members of the public.
Thieves target catalytic converters as they contain small amounts of precious metals which increases their value - the price of these metals has increased in recent years.
PC Robert Wheat, from the force’s Resolution Centre, said: “It’s really easy for people to overlook these crimes because many don’t give it a second glance - innocently presuming that the cars are either being repaired or having their tyres replaced.
“However, this isn’t always the case and that’s why it’s important for members of the public to stay alert. Offenders tend to travel in groups of three or four and are opportunists – within minutes of targeting their vehicle, they will have stolen the catalytic converter and escaped.
“We need people’s help in tackling this issue so we ask if they can look out for this type of activity and record descriptions – noting down anything that could be useful to us. If it’s safe to do so, recording the incident on your phone is also extremely helpful.”
