Beware of the Cat burglars

Aug 28 2008 David Whinyates

Beware of the Cat burglars

THIEVES are adding to the misery of sky-high motoring costs by stealing catalytic converters and fuel from parked cars ¿ often causing expensive damage in the process.

Catalytic converters, which contain precious metals including platinum, palladium and rhodium, are each worth around £60 to thieves who send them for specialist processing overseas.

The converter forms part of the exhaust system, so thieves either jack the car up or target vehicles with a high ground clearance such as 4x4s or trucks, in order to remove it. Several cars may be attacked at one time.

This latest trend has been spotted by AA Insurance whose director, Simon Douglas, says: ¿This is a new crime resulting from high fuel and scrap metal values. It causes considerable inconvenience and expense for innocent motorists. Thieves work quickly and carelessly, sometimes causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage.

¿A catalytic converter costs between £600 and £1,500 to replace, including labour cost, quite apart from repair of damage to bodywork that could cost several hundred pounds more.

Similarly, the company is reporting claims where thieves have damaged cars while attempting to steal fuel, leaving owners facing not just the loss of perhaps £100 worth of petrol or diesel but also the cost of repairing fuel systems and car bodywork as well as the loss of their excess and possibly no claim bonus, if an insurance claim is made.

The AA suggests having the car¿s catalytic converter permanently marked so that it can be traced back to the car if it is removed; this will help police to prosecute thieves. Many car dealers offer a marking service.