VIDEO: More catalytic converter thefts targeting hybrid cars in Hastings

Hastings Police said Honda and Toyota hybrids are being targeted and released a video of three people stealing one from a car on a driveway.

Catalytic converters are devices fitted to vehicle exhausts to reduce the amount of dangerous gases emitted. They also contain valuable metals and can be removed in less than a minute, which is why thieves want them.

Signs a catalytic converter theft is being committed:

A vehicle being raised using a car jack in a car park or residential area

A loud drilling or cutting sound coming from underneath the vehicle

How to prevent it:

Park your vehicle somewhere secure, well-lit, overlooked, and next to obstacles

Don’t mount cars onto kerbs when you park

Speak to a local garage about having the catalytic converter welded to the car

‘Cage clamps’ which wrap around the catalytic converter and the bolts, making the theft more difficult

‘Tilt sensors’ on your vehicle will trigger an alarm if the vehicle is tampered with

If possible, register your converter and mark it with a forensic marker, which will make it harder for thieves to dispose of

If the crime is happening now call 999. If the crime has already happened, then you can report it to us online or call 101.

More news from Hastings