Catalytic converters, devices located in the exhaust system of most vehicles on the road today, are a common target for thieves as they contain precious metals and are high in value. To obtain catalytic converters, thieves will cut them from parked cars and then sell them to scrap metal dealers.
Unfortunately, this practice is not uncommon and is something that all vehicle owners should think about when parking. This is particularly true during times when precious metal prices are high, as this is correlative with an increased number of catalytic converter thefts. Vehicles such as 4x4s and larger commercial vehicles are at the greatest risk as they are easy to slide under and tend to have larger engines, meaning there will be more precious metals for thieves to profit from.
There are a number of things vehicle owners can do to prevent themselves from becoming victims of this sort of crime. Perhaps the easiest and most obvious first step is to park cars in a garage or secure area so that thieves cannot see, or indeed access, the vehicle. If this is not possible, parking in busy or well-lit areas will give a vehicle a certain level of protection, as the number of potential witnesses to the crime will deter thieves.
Commercial properties tend to be very common areas for thieves looking for catalytic converters, particularly vehicle depots where vehicles are left unattended over the weekend or contain large numbers of delivery vehicles, which contain lots of precious metals. To protect these vehicles from being targeted, installing a perimeter detection system is a very good idea.
The PulseSecure electric fence system is the perfect solution for commercial sites with lots of vehicles. It is the most advanced electric system available and is a powerful psychological deterrent for would-be thieves. Find out more about the system and what it could do for you here.
