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Catalytic Converter Theft: Oakfield Road

Alert message sent 13/01/2021 15:47:00

Information sent on behalf of West Mids Police

Good Afternoon,

An incident of Theft from Motor Vehicle has been reported from Oakfield Road whereby the catalytic converter was stolen from a grey Jeep Grand Cherokee. This occurred between 2030-2119hrs on Tuesday 12th January.

Thieves commit this crime due to the high value of the metal used and often target vehicles with a higher chassis such as 4x4s, although we have had thefts in the past where smaller vehicles have been jacked up in broad daylight.

There are a number of steps you can take to reduce the chance of catalytic converter theft:

- If you have a lockable garage, park here where possible. Otherwise, try to park in a well-lit, busy area.
- Park next to a fence, wall or kerb with the exhaust being closest to these obstacles - this will make the theft more difficult.
- Park with all four wheels on the road if you can. Parking half on and half off the pavement will make it easier for thieves to access the catalytic converter.
- If parking in a public car park, consider parking alongside other cars and facing you bonnet towards the wall if possible. With the catalytic converter positioned at the front of your vehicle, this will make it harder for thieves to get close enough to steal it.
- If there is a fleet of vehicles, park the low clearance vehicles to block the high clearance vehicles. This will obstruct access underneath
- If your catalytic converter is bolted on, you can ask for your local garage to weld the bolts to make it more difficult to remove.
- Alternatively, you can also etch a serial number on the converter
- You can even purchase a â€˜cage clampâ€™ which is a cage device that locks in around the converter to make it more difficult to remove
- Speak to your dealership about the possibility of adding a tilt sensor that will activate the alarm should any thief try to jack the vehicle up to steal the converter

If you see someone acting suspiciously under a vehicle, report it to the Police. Obtain as much information as possible, including any vehicle registrations. You can let us know the details via LiveChat at https://www.west-midlands.police.uk or by phoning 101. If a crime is in progress/the offenders are present, phone 999.

Message sent by

Sarah Savage (Police, PCSO, Birmingham West, Selly Oak)

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