In recent weeks, vehicles across the UK have been having the catalytic converters stolen from underneath their vehicles.
A catalytic converter is a device that uses a catalyst to convert three harmful compounds in car exhaust into harmless compounds. This means that the absence of this essential converter causes harmful pollutants to be released into the atmosphere and as well as this, it causes loud rattling noises under the vehicle.
The targeted vehicle brands are Lexus, Toyota and Honda. These ruthless criminals are going under cars, sometimes in broad daylight, and detaching the converter from the beneath the car and it takes a matter of seconds!
The reason for the recent rise in this theft is catalytic converters cost an average of £500, therefore these thieves sell them to get money. They cost a lot of money to replace and not everyone has the money to put towards fixing such a small but significant part of their vehicle.
In November 2019, the catalytic converter of my family’s car (Lexus) was stolen. This meant that our car couldn’t be used for a few days and we had to resort to using public transport. Thankfully, we got it replaced a few days after its theft; and the mechanic who installed the converter ensured that it was attached in a way, such that, it would be extremely difficult for it to be easily stolen again.
Therefore, I strongly advise you to ensure that your vehicle’s converter is secure and that you protect your car before it’s too late, so that you don’t have to suffer with the painful -£500 bank statement. Furthermore, just because the targeted car brands do not include your car, it doesn’t mean that you’re 100% invulnerable.
A link to how the catalytic converters are stolen can be found here: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8193568/thieves-traffic-angle-grinder-catalytic-converter-parked-car/
By Eve Okubadejo, Dartford Grammar School For Girls
