Police issue advice over catalytic converters

ALTEA local police, together with Guardia Civil officers caught two men who had just stolen a catalytic converter from a parked vehicle on Sunday morning.

They were actually carrying the device, hidden together with the tools used for the theft. Both individuals were arrested and sent before a judge.

Guardia Civil officers are investigating to see if the pair have carried out similar thefts.

Local police noted that catalytic converters are devices fitted to vehicle exhausts to reduce the amount of dangerous gases emitted.

They are often targeted by thieves as they contain valuable metals, including platinum and rhodium, and ‘can be removed in less than a minute’. Thefts most frequently occurs in car parks, but they can happen anywhere.

The thieves then sell them via scrapyards, online or ship them out of the country.

Hybrid vehicles are most commonly targeted, as their metals are more valuable, but any vehicle can be at risk of catalytic converter theft, noted the local force.

If you see a vehicle being raised using a car jack in a car park or residential area and a loud drilling or cutting sound coming from underneath the vehicle, it is possible that its catalytic converter is being stolen, according to the police.

To keep them safe, drivers are advised that car dealers can provide advice on locks or guards that are approved by the vehicle manufacturer.

Also avoid parking in car parks or in open spaces where there are many parked cars.

Have the catalytic converter marked with the car’s chassis or number plate. This will make it more difficult for the thieves to sell on the black market and easier for the police to identify.