Vehicle crime · 4 min read
Catalytic converter theft.
Two minutes, one jack.
A jack, a battery saw, and ninety seconds under the car. Catalytic converter theft is noisy but fast, and it's targeted at specific models. Here's what to know and what actually helps.
33 vehicle crimes were reported within a mile of Wolverhampton centre last month. See the full picture →
Why it happens
Converters contain rhodium, palladium and platinum. Older hybrids are prime targets because their converters are less worn (the petrol engine runs less) and sit high enough to reach quickly. The parts are sold for scrap value that can run into hundreds of pounds each.
Cars hit most
- Older hybrids — the Toyota Prius, Auris and Honda Jazz hybrids are the classic targets
- Taller vehicles with easy underside access — vans, SUVs and pickups
- Anything parked on the street or on an open drive overnight
What helps
- Park to block access — close to a wall, kerb or another car so the jack can't go under.
- A cat lock or shield — a bolted plate that turns a two-minute job into a twenty-minute one.
- Etch or mark the converter so it's traceable, and use a police-approved marking kit.
- A camera with a white light and a person alert. The theft is noisy but quick; a camera that lights the drive and buzzes your phone the moment someone walks under the car is the difference between a video of it happening and a chance to stop it.
For a car on the drive: a camera at the house angled down covering the underside approach. For street parking: a front camera at low height that covers the kerb, with the neighbours' windows masked out. We design for whichever applies.
Your property decides. Not the logo.
Questions
Good to know.
Will a camera stop it?
It deters — lit, visible and obviously real — and records faces and the getaway vehicle if not. Combine with a physical shield for the best odds.
Does my insurance cover it?
Usually under comprehensive cover, with an excess. Repeat thefts can affect renewal.
Is it still common?
Numbers have fallen from the peak but it remains a regular vehicle-crime category across the West Midlands — the live figure above is the current picture.