Thieves target van catalyst's precious metals THE SURGING PRICE of
Page 8
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
the precious metals used in catalytic converters has made vans and trucks a target for thieves, according to Thames Valley Police.
The force has teamed up with Mercedes-Benz dealer Hughes of Aylesbury to offer fleet operators the chance to get the converters on their Sprinter vans security marked.
Hughes of Aylesbury service manager Darren Nottingham said: "The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter was the first van to achieve the Euro-5 emissions standard and because this required the use of a catalytic converter with a relatively high proportion of precious metals, our vehicle was initially targeted by thieves.
"But now other manufacturers are using these types of exhausts and this is becoming an industrywide problem," he said.
Detective Inspector Suzette Allcorn said: "With certain metals increasing in value over the past few years, we have seen an increase in thieves targeting vehicles to steal the catalytic converters and selling them on for the precious metals they contain."
The main precious metal that is used in catalytic converters is platinum, but thieves are also targeting them for palladium and rhodium.