Scrap thieves target car exhausts
METAL thieves are targeting car owners and stealing catalytic converters for the platinum inside.
There have already been at least six thefts in Oxfordshire in the past three months, but others may have gone unreported.
A catalytic converter can net the thief up to £120 because it contains much sought-after platinum and other precious metals. Oxford garage boss Dave Radbourne is pictured with a converter.
Det Insp Andy Nicklin said: "They are part of the wider issue of metal thefts and so far we have had a small number of catalytic converters being stolen in Oxfordshire."
A catalytic converter was stolen from a Peugeot van in Park Road, Faringdon, at about 7.30pm on April 18.
On April 29, a catalytic converter was stolen from a Ford Focus parked in Tyrell Close, Stanford in the Vale, followed by a theft from a Honda Civic in Perry's Road, Stanford in the Vale, on April 30.
PC Lewis Boyce is appealing for information about a white Transit van seen in Park Road and reports of a tall, slim, white man wearing a three-quarter-length jacket, with the hood up, who was seen carrying a vehicle jack in Tyrell Close.
The converters have up to 3g of platinum as well as other precious metals including palladium and rhodium.
The cost of platinum has trebled in the past 18 months and now stands at £1,000 an ounce.
Call police on 08458 505505 or speak anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
6:48am Friday 9th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: J, oxford on 8:36am Fri 9 May 08
Well perhaps if they catch one person, and actually punish them and send them to prison, then it might deter others from doing it.
I would take a guess that most of the thieves are well aware that even if they're caught, the worst they'll get is a slap on the wrist!
Well perhaps if they catch one person, and actually punish them and send them to prison, then it might deter others from doing it.
I would take a guess that most of the thieves are well aware that even if they're caught, the worst they'll get is a slap on the wrist!
Posted by: DanOxford on 11:00am Fri 9 May 08
[quote][bold]J[/bold] wrote:
Well perhaps if they catch one person, and actually punish them and send them to prison, then it might deter others from doing it. I would take a guess that most of the thieves are well aware that even if they\'re caught, the worst they\'ll get is a slap on the wrist![/quote] Oh honestly J- surely you've seen these Police/ Camera/ Chav/ Cheap TV Filler shows?
You know- the ones where a ludicrously 'serious' presenter attempts to lend a bit of gravitas to crime voyeurism?
Where he (or she) intones that the Police scrambled six patrol cars, two helicopters, deployed a 'stinger'; located the 14 year old hiding in a bedroom after crashing the car into the local estate; dealt with the overweight, tattooed, chain smoking mum with the bleached 'facelift' pony tail shouting that 'He's been in f*cking bed all f*cking day! You lot just f*cking pick on him- why don't you catch REAL f*cking criminals!' before the viewer is informed that this 'successful operation' resulted in a fine to be paid at 2p a month out of his benefits and half an hour's community service that no-one will enforce.
J wrote:
Well perhaps if they catch one person, and actually punish them and send them to prison, then it might deter others from doing it. I would take a guess that most of the thieves are well aware that even if they\'re caught, the worst they\'ll get is a slap on the wrist!
Oh honestly J- surely you've seen these Police/ Camera/ Chav/ Cheap TV Filler shows?
You know- the ones where a ludicrously 'serious' presenter attempts to lend a bit of gravitas to crime voyeurism?
Where he (or she) intones that the Police scrambled six patrol cars, two helicopters, deployed a 'stinger'; located the 14 year old hiding in a bedroom after crashing the car into the local estate; dealt with the overweight, tattooed, chain smoking mum with the bleached 'facelift' pony tail shouting that 'He's been in f*cking bed all f*cking day! You lot just f*cking pick on him- why don't you catch REAL f*cking criminals!' before the viewer is informed that this 'successful operation' resulted in a fine to be paid at 2p a month out of his benefits and half an hour's community service that no-one will enforce.
Posted by: J, ox on 1:45pm Fri 9 May 08
[quote]
[bold]DanOxford[/bold] wrote:
Where he (or she) intones that the Police scrambled six patrol cars, two helicopters, deployed a 'stinger'; located the 14 year old hiding in a bedroom after crashing the car into the local estate; dealt with the overweight, tattooed, chain smoking mum with the bleached 'facelift' pony tail shouting that 'He's been in f*cking bed all f*cking day! You lot just f*cking pick on him- why don't you catch REAL f*cking criminals!' before the viewer is informed that this 'successful operation' resulted in a fine to be paid at 2p a month out of his benefits and half an hour's community service that no-one will enforce.[/quote]
lol you need to get out more! I'm too busy watching serious documentaries about fat toddlers and page 3 teenagers to watch serious police stuff!!
We have such a crap justice system in this country! It's a complete and utter joke!
Shame they can't just scrap all this ASBO and community service stuff, and build proper jails where they get a bed and toilet in their cell and nothing else, and have to spend 8 hours a day being educated in how to behave in society, and perhaps some school stuff too!
DanOxford wrote:
Where he (or she) intones that the Police scrambled six patrol cars, two helicopters, deployed a 'stinger'; located the 14 year old hiding in a bedroom after crashing the car into the local estate; dealt with the overweight, tattooed, chain smoking mum with the bleached 'facelift' pony tail shouting that 'He's been in f*cking bed all f*cking day! You lot just f*cking pick on him- why don't you catch REAL f*cking criminals!' before the viewer is informed that this 'successful operation' resulted in a fine to be paid at 2p a month out of his benefits and half an hour's community service that no-one will enforce.
lol you need to get out more! I'm too busy watching serious documentaries about fat toddlers and page 3 teenagers to watch serious police stuff!!
We have such a crap justice system in this country! It's a complete and utter joke!
Shame they can't just scrap all this ASBO and community service stuff, and build proper jails where they get a bed and toilet in their cell and nothing else, and have to spend 8 hours a day being educated in how to behave in society, and perhaps some school stuff too!
Posted by: David, wantage on 2:15pm Fri 9 May 08
Perhaps the police/other law enforcement agencies should target the scrap metal traders/recipients of these materials. A while back metal thefts were reported here and one metal dealer said that people would even take such to him in shopping trollies. Surely in that case he should er on the caution on the mode of transport. Did they just happen to see this lump of metal near an abandoned trolley. Will there be a market for the metal from shopping trollies and wire basket? Where does this dreadful crime stop and causes such misery and inconvenience to its victims?
Perhaps the police/other law enforcement agencies should target the scrap metal traders/recipients of these materials. A while back metal thefts were reported here and one metal dealer said that people would even take such to him in shopping trollies. Surely in that case he should er on the caution on the mode of transport. Did they just happen to see this lump of metal near an abandoned trolley. Will there be a market for the metal from shopping trollies and wire basket? Where does this dreadful crime stop and causes such misery and inconvenience to its victims?
Posted by: bicesterresident2, bicester on 6:12pm Fri 9 May 08
Its not the police who let criminals off,its the justice system(courts).Im sure the police are sick of criminals getttig let off or ordered to pay 5 pound a week.
Its not the police who let criminals off,its the justice system(courts).Im sure the police are sick of criminals getttig let off or ordered to pay 5 pound a week.
Posted by: Rob, Carterton on 11:22am Sun 11 May 08
[quote][bold]David[/bold] wrote:
Perhaps the police/other law enforcement agencies should target the scrap metal traders/recipients of these materials. A while back metal thefts were reported here and one metal dealer said that people would even take such to him in shopping trollies. Surely in that case he should er on the caution on the mode of transport. Did they just happen to see this lump of metal near an abandoned trolley. Will there be a market for the metal from shopping trollies and wire basket? Where does this dreadful crime stop and causes such misery and inconvenience to its victims?[/quote] David,
I think you'll find the police already are! It was in the news only last month, raiding scrap yards and holding the owner of the yard to account for [bold]all[/bold] of the scrap! It's the court system that sucks! It does however show how low some people will go!
David wrote:
Perhaps the police/other law enforcement agencies should target the scrap metal traders/recipients of these materials. A while back metal thefts were reported here and one metal dealer said that people would even take such to him in shopping trollies. Surely in that case he should er on the caution on the mode of transport. Did they just happen to see this lump of metal near an abandoned trolley. Will there be a market for the metal from shopping trollies and wire basket? Where does this dreadful crime stop and causes such misery and inconvenience to its victims?
David,
I think you'll find the police already are! It was in the news only last month, raiding scrap yards and holding the owner of the yard to account for
all of the scrap! It's the court system that sucks! It does however show how low some people will go!
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