Of all the things to worry about, now van owners and operators have to be on the lookout for criminals making off with their catalytic converters right from underneath their bonnets.
One van insurance provider has recently warned of a crime spree over the past few weeks that involves the theft of catalytic converters. The commercial van insurance company has begun to urge van drivers to be much more careful where they choose to leave their vehicles overnight in an effort to help them avoid being the victims of such a theft.
June’s crime figures saw the Leicestershire area particularly hardest hit, with almost 250 thefts occurring between January 1 and June 1. This figure is incredibly inflated from last year’s figures, where the first half of the year saw only 47 reported thefts, the car insurance provider remarked.
The insurer’s representative, Joe de Vries, commented on the new report, stating that the increase in catalytic converter theft is ‘terrible news,’ adding that van owners across the country need to be much more vigilant in order to prevent their own vans being subjected to the same fate. Mr de Vries said that van owners should park their vehicles in secure areas overnight, such as a garage, but as not everyone has access to such facilities, parking a van in a well lit area such as directly below a street lamp would be the best way to deter thieves.
The rise in catalytic converter theft is believed to be linked to the cost of scrap metal, which has been on the rise. Organised gangs have been harvesting the components to send overseas, where they are stripped of their metal, law enforcement officials say.