New Types Of Theft From Motor Cars
Author: Malcolm Forster


The changing economic climate is changing criminal behaviour
int the car crime arena. Previously it was the theft of the car
or stereo that was of concern but , as security devices made
these too difficult attention switched to easily stolen items
such as satnavs.These too have dropped so much in price as to be
worth little on the black market.

Two new types of theft from vehicles have recently arrived in
the U.K. The first, triggered by the rise in fuel costs and
tightening of legislation governing the supply is car number
plates. New legislation has made it very difficult for criminals
to obtain false number plates but the rise in the price of fuel
has created a demand for them. They are normally used in the
theft of fuel from garages by driving off without paying after
filling the tank. CCTV footage is rendered useless by the false
number plates and the criminals are rarely caught.

The second, most recent offense is the theft of vehicle
catalytic converters. The booming economy is the far east is
causing shortage of many things, the latest being platinum, it
is currently worth twice the price of gold. Catalytic converters
use platinum amongst other precious metals to filter out toxic
gases from exhaust fumes and so a black market for stolen cats
has appeared. There seems to be hot spots around the country
where these thefts are prevalent for example 108 have been
stolen in North Gloucestershire this year. High ground clearance
vehicles such as vans and four by fours are most at risk as the
thieves do not need to jack up the vehicle.

What can be done to combat these new threats? Well in the case
of number plates theft, although there are plates which self
destruct when an attempt is made to remove them they will mean
buying new plates, if your plates are screwed to the car and not
stuck on you can replace the normal screws with anti tamper ones
for very little cost. If you do become the victim of number
plate theft, report it immediately as there will probably be a
crime committed in a car with your registration number on in the
near future.

Trying to deter cat theft is more difficult, aside from parking
the vehicle in the garage ( not always possible with vans and 4
X 4 s ) the only other thing you can do is have the nuts which
secure the cat in place welded which will make removal more
noisy. Instead of being able to use spanners the thief will have
to cut the pipe to remove the converter. One wonders what will
be next target, it is perhaps surprising that tires have not
rocketed in price off the back of oil prices making them a
stealable item.


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