Gwent Police is advising large vehicle owners to take measures to prevent exhaust systems containing catalytic converters from being stolen.
During the past week 14 catalytic converters have been stolen from vehicles, particularly Mercedes Sprinter vans, across Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent.
Police have said the majority of these are privately-owned vehicles parked on the roadside, although officers have previously dealt with incidents where commercial premises had been targeted.
Tiny amounts of precious metals inside catalytic converters make them valuable objects to steal with thieves selling it on.
The exhaust unit and catalytic converters are removed, sometimes without causing damage to the vehicles or activating alarm systems and it can take as little as three minutes to remove a catalytic converter.
Superintendent Glyn Fernquest said officers have been working to make possible victims aware of this type of theft.
He said: “We have raised awareness of this current crime trend previously, particularly amongst storage yards or warehouses storing fleet vehicles which have been targeted in the past – but all owners of vehicles with a high ground clearance need to be aware.
“This time round it seems to be individual vehicles being targeted which have just been parked up in residential streets.
“Some thieves are quite brazen and may target vehicles which are parked in a public place, or even the owner’s driveway overnight.”
Mercedes-Benz recommends on its website that owners of the Sprinter vans should have a £125 security plate installed.
The company says: “There has been a significant increase in the theft of catalytic converters, stolen for the resale value of the precious metals from which they are made.
“The metal case of the catalytic converter contains a ceramic honeycombed structure coated in precious metals – platinum, palladium and rhodium. These metals act as catalysts for the reactions that ‘clean’ the particles emitted from the exhaust system. Thieves simply cut the catalytic converter from the exhaust pipe of a parked vehicle and sell them on to scrap metal dealers.
“The Catloc Security Device protects your vehicle’s catalytic converter by attaching a specially-created metal plate. This is secured on to the underside of your vehicle using tamper-proof fixings.”
One of the latest thefts happened at around 2am on Friday September 6 in Bedwas.
An eyewitness contacted Caerphilly Observer to warn others be more vigilant.
She said: “We were woken up by our dog barking to find two men carrying a whole exhaust system on their shoulders and put it in the back of a black Volvo. They drove off down Pandy Road, Bedwas.
“My husband rang the police straight away and I went to my neighbour’s house to tell them what had happened.
“The police arrived straight after the car drove off, they’ve been looking out for thieves as it’s rife in the area, they get a lot of money for the parts apparently.
“My neighbour had a delivery job to do later that day and thanks to the police he was able to get another vehicle. It’s disgusting that things like this are happening.”