Nearly 100,000 catalytic converter thefts have been recorded in three years, with criminals across the UK stealing 75 a day by 2022, new data obtained by Sky News reveals.
Emission devices often contain precious metals worth up to £600 on the black market. That’s why in the 12 months from December 2021, criminals stole 28,000 catalytic converters.
CCTV shared with Sky News from the police force and victims of this crime shows how agile and blatant thieves are, stealing catalytic converters wherever they can find them. any time of the day.
Widespread impact and chain effects can be devastating.
Margaret Wright from Wigan did this not just once, but three times in two years.
The Motability car she shares with her husband was unusable for weeks when the catalytic converter was stolen in September 2022.
She told Sky News: “It sounds extreme to say I was on the brink the last time that happened, but I really was because we didn’t make a lot of money, we didn’t. There’s so much to take someone with and within a few minutes of doing it, it can change your life. It’s very emotional and hard to accept.”
With a disabled husband and a 50-mile round trip to work, the impact of what seems like a petty crime is immense.
Ms. Wright said: ‘I love my husband more than myself because it’s the source of his life. “I have the ability to catch buses and trains but for him, he can’t go out during the day. It’s disabled for what used to help him move, that person is disabled now. “
Margaret Wright from Wigan had her catalytic converter stolen three times in two years
Approximately 97,023 catalytic converters were stolen between early 2020 and November 30, 2022, according to OPAL, the National Intelligence Unit on Serious Organized Acquisition Crime and Freedom of Information request by the National Intelligence Service. Sky News.
The worst-affected area is London, but aggressive police action has helped reduce thefts in the capital since 2020.
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Police watchdog condemns low rates of theft and burglary
The data alone can be alarming, but it should be noted that this is a very underreported crime and in fact more catalytic converters are stolen than are documented. – means more lives are affected more deeply.
But theft is just one element in a string of crimes involving these highly sought-after devices.
James Kelly, head of the British Metal Recycling Association, told Sky News: “Inside the catalytic converter there are platinum metals: rhodium, palladium and platinum and they are extremely valuable.
“They can go up to £4,000 a troy ounce, which is equivalent to about 31 grams, and maybe the equivalent of about six or seven catalytic converters.”
James Kelly, Head of the British Metal Recycling Association
Because of their value, they have become an attractive target for criminals and organized crime, which is why police forces are using covert operations to try to crack down on buying. sell and steal this car parts.
Supt Mark Cleland is the UK police’s metal crime team leader. He told Sky News: “Last year, in the first two weeks of the campaign, we reduced crime by 50% nationally. But there are still 30,000 violations in the last 12 months and we need as much information as we can. about the people involved.The public has an idea or the waste industry has an idea.
“That information is extremely important to help us capture and confine people. In another operation, we recovered more than 2,000 stolen catalytic converters, so we are working on it, we just need that vital information and intelligence to help do our job even better.”
Supt Mark Cleland is the lead metal crime team of the UK police
Despite the efforts of the police, the vast majority of catalytic converter thefts remain unsolved and while this may be a lucrative crime for those involved, for a mother of three I have a car as a target, the financial consequences are crippling.
Claire Gregan had her catalytic converter stolen while her car was parked at university in Lancashire in November 2022.
She told Sky News: “They could have come in and ransacked the house because that car was my lifesaver. It was a BMW 1 Series, 14 years old, worth £1,200. I don’t have much. , I’m alone with my three kids, trying to finish college to improve our lives. And then you get a bill worth almost £1,000. Each way I look for a solution, I both face more financial challenges.”
With the risk of higher insurance premiums and the possibility of thieves targeting her car again, Ms Gregan dumped the BMW and was forced to take out a £4,000 loan to buy a new car.
She added: “They couldn’t have done anything worse. What they did in those few minutes, I probably won’t get my finances back until the summer of 2023. It ruined me completely. and put me in such a mess.”
Claire Gregan
As crime increases, so does the price of catalytic converter replacement. That’s what AA has noticed as annotations to this issue have grown in popularity.
Patrolman Sean Sidley said: “It has a huge impact on people because these catalytic converters are not cheap to buy from the manufacturers.
“Some customers can shell out up to £1,500 just to get their car back on the road. I’ve seen some dealers take quite a long time to get stock. Bringing them in from Asia. coming to the UK is quite difficult. difficult.”
Sean Sidley, AA patrolman
On the surface, it may look like a small offence, but these thefts are being carried out on a grand scale. At every point of this crime, it is clear that the criminals do not give up – leaving the victim helpless, vulnerable, and the consequences are often irreversible.
