Portsmouth motorists warned about catalytic converter thefts

Between the evening of Tuesday, April 13, and the afternoon of Wednesday, April 14, a catalytic converter was taken from a vehicle in Salerno Road, Hilsea.

A further incident took place in Randolph Road, North End, again between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning.

In January, catalytic converter thefts were reported in Havant and Waterlooville area.

Police say the thefts are due to the rhodium and palladium in these converters – two metals which have increased in price since last year.

Hampshire Constabulary has advised residents to weld their catalytic converters with bolts, or purchase a ‘cage clamp’ that makes them more difficult to remove.

A spokeswoman for the police force said: ‘In the event your catalytic converter is stolen, please report online via our website and include any markings so that we can identify your converter if it’s recovered.

‘Our local neighbourhood policing teams in Portsmouth are continuing to monitor reports and would like to ask local residents to report any suspicious activity to us directly by calling 101, or by reporting it to us via our online reporting tool on the Hampshire Constabulary website.

At the end of 2020 and at the beginning of this year there was a spate of catalytic converter and wheel thefts across Havant and Waterlooville.

‘Anyone with information about the two incidents mentioned should call 101, quoting reference 44210140973/44210140544.’

Motorists can also speak to their dealership or a garage about getting a tilt sensor fitted – which will activate an alarm if the car is jacked up to steal the converter.

If you see a crime in progress, always dial 999.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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