Catalytic Convertors being stolen

[MuswellMetro]

We are having a spate of catalytic convertor being stolen during the day from my area , we have had four stolen yesterday from my road

A car or Van stops in front of a car, and they Jack up the Car , take off a front wheel , remove the catalytic convertor and put the wheel back on, i passed one being done and did not suspect a thing and they said as I passed, "is there a tyre repairer around here" and i gave them directions

in an area of 500 houses near me in North London, 12 catalytic converters have been removed since Saturday, the first you know is the roar of the exhaust as you pull away

dont know if it is the scrap value of the palladium/platinum or for spares they are being taken

if they try it on my defender, then they are in for a shock as it has had the guts removed from the convertor, just a straight through box

 

[Anduril]

My father in law had his done last year in a Warners resort in Hampshire.

 

[Tom Bick]

Had one stolen from a car a few years ago the shock when I started the car and it sounded like a F1 car and then had to drive it to be fixed. A few months later working on a bank holiday heard a strange noise outside to workshop and found a couple of (you know what) trying to relieve me of the new one. Butter would not melt in his mouth “only trying to feed my children so I am please don’t call the police or I will come back” I just pointed to the security cameras as he threw his kit in his car and told him and his mate to wave on his way out.

 

[pargyle]

Had one stolen from a car a few years ago the shock when I started the car and it sounded like a F1 car and then had to drive it to be fixed. A few months later working on a bank holiday heard a strange noise outside to workshop and found a couple of (you know what) trying to relieve me of the new one. Butter would not melt in his mouth “only trying to feed my children so I am please don’t call the police or I will come back” I just pointed to the security cameras as he threw his kit in his car and told him and his mate to wave on his way out.

A few years ago they did four of my company's fleet of Transit vans parked in the yard on a Sunday. Got them bang to rights on video along with their van registration number.

It took them only ten minutes in total to jack the four vans up and cut them out using a cordless angle grinder through the pipes either side. Cost me over a grand to replace them ... and a day's work for four crews.

Police ? "Yeh... sorry sir, happening all the time - we'll do our best but they'll be long gone now ... here's a crime number claim on your insurance " (Yehhh and what about my £500 policy excess and the hike in premium next year when I renew ??).

 

[Nige.Coll]

we had a spate of this over the last 12 months in my area.
they use a chain type pipe cutter.
4x4's and lorries are their preferred targets here.

 

[Tom Bick]

Yes they generally target cars ect that sit high off the ground my car at the time was a large people carrier easy to reach the cat. I would suspect the cars near MM may well be 4x4 type cars.

 

[victor meldrew]

Plod lost the plot years ago I'm afraid .
Soco arrived here after a burglary (civilian lady) , remarked on the neatness of the job and proceeded to ask my wifes' advice on tackling her stroppy teenage son.
One week later I apprehended a guy casing the farm opposite and saw him on his way . Evening after, a girl slowly walked past my place ,giving it a careful eyeballing . I remarked to my wife that she seemed to be looking for CCTV , No ,you're being over cautious .
Next morning I reversed out of my drive "no brakes". , yep brake pipes cut!

I had taken the precaution of writing down the guys' reg and vehicle type .
I rang plod explained the run up, the info I had etc.
Response " that'll be revenge! Criminal damage to a motor vehicle needs to have witnesses before we can do anything ,sorry!"
No crime number no action . I tried to embarrass then ,I pestered up to and including the chief constable, pointing out that the action should have been classified as attempted murder! Zilch response.
Plod changed it's name from Police Force to Police Service! Should have left Force in the title but replaced Police with Spent !
Disgusted Tunbridge Wells! You've gotta laugh!
VM

 

[Firefly]

I wish I had not even read this. So depressing

Sorry for all your troubles

I did recently read that there is a firm extracting the Cat metals from street sweepings for recycling. A more honest approach

 

[Pugmitch]

This is the outcome of our current society who reward criminals.....oh sorry 'victims'......with paltry sentences for whatever heinous crimes they may commit. Nicking catalytic converters is way way down any plod priority list. The only thing that surprises me is that it is still a crime......I thought it was a bonus for being idle and feckless! Not that I am in any way cynical of course!

 

[Bates]

Id of thought with the new law that requires ID, business registration and a bank account (no cash payment) for weighing in metal they would be able to track them down easier... Police are a total waste of time and space they do not care for "petty" crimes and will just give incident number for insurance which will, as mentioned above, increase your premiums. Not their problem I guess!

 

[victor meldrew]

Get out clause applies !
Travellor/ no fixed abode

 

[VEG]

Never been asked for Id when I have weighed metal in.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Yes they generally target cars ect that sit high off the ground my car at the time was a large people carrier easy to reach the cat. I would suspect the cars near MM may well be 4x4 type cars.

yes Tom, all older Chelsea tractors not the new Volvos or BMW 4x4s of the Yummy Mummy brigade,

 

[Bates]

Get out clause applies !
Travellor/ no fixed abode

Oh really? Generally they are the ones doing it so I guess this is not helping anything.

 

[victor meldrew]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...kdown-itinerants-allowed-sell-scrap-cash.html
Oh! Really!
VM

 

[pargyle]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...kdown-itinerants-allowed-sell-scrap-cash.html
Oh! Really!
VM

Well as about the worst treatment they could expect if they were caught is a slap on the wrist there's not a lot of point in prosecuting them so might as well exclude them from the legislation ... saves the police and courts money and you as a tax payer foot their bill so you should be grateful !

 

[Russel]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...kdown-itinerants-allowed-sell-scrap-cash.html
Oh! Really!
VM

That was from 17th March 2012 and the Act was enacted 2013 and I can't see this loop hole. Will read again?
Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013

 

[countryman]

I do part time driving for a supermarket in orange and the store down the road in farnham had its fleet done about 12 vans one night now there are these massive chains on them if there cutting them of with angle grinders then there going to go through the chains as well

 

[countryman]

buy the way its the metals like nickel etc in them that makes them very worth while taking down the scrapies

 

[oliver90owner]

Specifically Palladium. Early cats had a small percentage of Platinum and mostly Palladium, but they soon replaced them with all-Palladium cats as the technology improved. Nickel is a base metal in comparison.