Small increase in catalytic converter thefts in Stoke

Officers are urging the local community to remain vigilant following a small increase in reported catalytic converter thefts recently.

Officers were first called to the Royal Stoke University Hospital car-park, on Friday (7 January).

At 6pm, a man reported that his catalytic convertor had been stolen whilst his car was parked at the hospital.

The car – namely a silver Honda Jazz – was at the location from 6:30am until 6:45pm.

A similar incident was reported at 8.20pm – where offenders have removed the convertor from a silver Toyota Prius and made off.

Officers are currently conducting CCTV enquiries and are keen to establish information.

To reduce the risk of having your catalytic convertor stolen, you should:
• Park your car in a locked garage or a well-lit area, covered by CCTV
• When using public car-parks, park alongside other cars with your bonnet towards the wall
• Avoid parking half on the pavement and half on the road
• If there is a fleet of vehicles – park the low clearance vehicles to block the high clearance vehicles
• Consider the use of a driveway alarm or sensor
• If your convertor is bolted on, ask for your local garage to weld the bolts or ask a trained mechanic to mark it
• Purchase a ‘cage clamp’ to make it more difficult to remove
• Report suspicious activity to police immediately

Chief Inspector David Wain, of Staffordshire Police, said: “We encourage vehicle owners to take the necessary steps to protect their vehicles and we urge anyone who notices any suspicious activity to report it as soon as possible.

“Try to ensure you are parked in an area which is covered by CCTV – where officers can work to establish key information to help trace and apprehend those responsible.”

Contact Staffordshire Police on Facebook or Twitter, or call 101. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.