Police issue warning after four catalytic converters stolen in Queensferry overnight

Police have issued a warning following the theft of four catalytic converters from vehicles in Queensferry sometime between Monday night and Tuesday morning.

North Wales Police Eastern Community Safety Division posted an update on social media this morning warning local garage owners to “make sure thieves cannot gain access to your vehicles.”

@DeesideDotCom
Attention of local garages:
Theft of 4 @ catalytic converters from Station Road, Queensferry overnight. Make sure that thieves cannot gain access to your vehicles/property. Thieves are always on the look out for anything they can turn into cash#nwpbigeasy pic.twitter.com/IeEfVvsoqK

— Diogelwch Cymunedol Y Dwyrain / Com Safety East (@NWPComSafEast) December 24, 2019

According to the the RAC, prices of precious metals used in car exhaust systems have exploded in recent months, with palladium worth £1,300 per ounce, and rhodium selling for £4,000 per ounce.

With only a small amount of the metals present in converters, criminals can sell the part on for £200 or more to unscrupulous scrap-metal dealers.

RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: “Catalytic converters contain a honeycomb coated with precious metals, such as platinum and palladium, which help to reduce and filter the harmful gases from the vehicles’ exhaust systems. When global values of these metals go up so do scrap prices and this usually leads to a spate of thefts.

“Vans and 4×4 vehicles, which are higher off the ground and therefore easier to crawl underneath, are regular targets, as are certain cars where the catalytic converters are relatively easy to get at when quickly jacked up.

“Any motorist who has their vehicle’s catalytic converter stolen faces a repair bill running into thousands of pounds. With Christmas fast approaching this is the last thing drivers need.”

Manufacturers have introduced measures to prevent the crime wave, fitting protective trays and placing converters in the engine bay on newer models to make them harder to reach.

The police advise marking converters with a serial number, parking vehicles so as to prevent access underneath and using protective coverings and CCTV.