Car exhaust thefts in Cressex

3:03pm Friday 6th June 2008

Comments (7)   Have your say »

BAKER says he will be forced to install CCTV cameras after four catalytic converters were stolen from company vans in one weekend.

Andrew Lee, 44, who owns Lee's Bakery in Cressex Business Park said: "It's a deterrent. It isn't very nice, but hopefully they'll move onto someone else they see as a softer target."

The thefts happened over the of May 30 to June 2.

Mr Lee said: "We didn't notice it until the Monday morning when we went to use the vans.

"The drivers came in and starting ringing me saying, 'there's something wrong with my van, it sounds as if my exhaust has fallen off.'"

Catalytic converters are often stolen for the valuable platinum they contain.

However, it cost Mr Lee around £1,000 to replace the expensive car parts - money he would have to pay personally.

He said: "The insurance companies treat it as four individual claims, so it's not worth claiming from them.

Crime reduction adviser Nick Gilbert said: "I advise owners to store vehicles indoors wherever possible, or at least out of sight and under the gaze of CCTV.

"They can also paint the converter and the underneath of the van or car with anti climb-paint.

"It will make the process a lot nastier for thieves as they will end up covered in paint and more likely to be caught."

According to police, the thieves would have to have used either an oxyacetylene cutter or a reciprocating saw to remove the converters.

Oxyacetylene cutters run from bulky gas tanks, so it is unlikely that they would have been taken along.

Reciprocating saws make a lot of noise, so the police are asking anyone who heard a loud ripping or high-pitched cutting sound to contact them.