Exclusive data obtained by Which? shows that, between 2019 and 2020 alone, incidents of catalytic converter theft in England, Northern Ireland and Wales (Police Scotland refused our request) rose a staggering 104% on average. This rise is despite the various national lockdowns in 2020, when the vast majority of people and their cars were at home.
With a ban on petrol and diesel cars on the horizon, you’d be forgiven for thinking your car’s catalytic converter would soon be resigned to the dustbin of history. For thousands of motorists up and down the country though, this decades-old emissions-control device has been the cause of significant repair bills and even complete write-offs, as a new crimewave has swept the UK.
A combination of factors including surging global demand for vehicles, as well as a slump in mining during the pandemic, has meant that the price of the precious metals contained within catalytic converters has risen exponentially. At the time of our investigation, an ounce of rhodium cost more than a brand-new Honda Jazz.
This hasn’t escaped the attention of criminals. With a single scrap catalytic converter currently worth around £400, organised gangs are targeting dozens of cars each day. Our research reveals that older Toyota and Honda models are particularly at risk.
It doesn’t help that we found ads offering cash for scrap converters on Facebook Marketplace. Posting such ads was made an offence under the 2013 Scrap Metal Dealers Act.
Read on to find out about thefts in your area, what authorities and car manufacturers are doing to tackle the problem and what Facebook told us. Plus learn how to minimise the chance of your car being targeted.
