COVENTRY has been ranked as the third worst area in the country for catalytic converter thefts in the past three years.
According to research by comparethemarket.com, there were 287 of the devices stolen from vehicles in the city between 2017 and 2020.
The only two places with a worse record were Birmingham (320) and London (15,237).
And if you judge it using just this year’s statistics, Coventry is second with 233 with Birmingham third (232) and London top (12,483).
Coventry has seen a dramatic rise in the crime over the past three years with just 23 in 2017/18 and then 31 in 2018/19.
Catalytic converter thefts are one of the highest rising crimes in the country, with the number of devices being stolen reportedly rising six-fold during the last year, as the price of their metal components – platinum, rhodium and palladium – have skyrocketed.
The new data from comparethemarket.com delved into police figures to reveal the areas which have encountered the highest number of thefts.
Making up the rest of the top ten are Cambridge (166), Luton (101), Peterborough (75), Derby (71), Wolverhampton (69), Manchester (66) and Bristol (58).
Click here for the full research.
Dan Hutson, head of motor insurance at comparethemarket.com, said: “These statistics are high and the value of the metals within catalytic converters has gone up significantly, resulting in a car part which was previously of little interest to thieves suddenly becoming very valuable, which explains the spikes.
“For those who are worried about falling victim to this type of theft, try parking your car in a way which would make it difficult for thieves to slide under the car to access the catalytic converter.
“There are also anti-theft devices you can buy and fit to your car to prevent unwanted attention.
“A comprehensive car insurance policy should also cover you if your car has become a victim of the trend, but it’s best to check with your provider to make sure, especially if you live in a higher risk area.”
