Price increases of precious metals such as gold, platinum, palladium and rhodium in the international market has caused a surge in the theft of catalytic converters from vehicles in Taiwan, police reported in several cities.
Catalytic converters are theft targets because they contain trace amounts of various precious metals, police in Taoyuan, New Taipei City, Keelung and other municipalities said in statements on Saturday, warning vehicle owners to remain vigilant.
Police said they have formed task forces to tackle the issue, following more than 20 reports in in the past few weeks of catalytic converter theft.
Photo courtesy of a member of the public
Police said they were investigating a group of three men who have allegedly been stealing catalytic converters from small trucks, sports utility vehicles and other vehicles with greater ground clearance parked on the side of roads.
Security camera footage showed them using grinders or chainsaws to remove converters from under the backs of the vehicles in less than one minute before driving off, police said, adding that they were also using a stolen vehicle.
The owner of a scrapyard surnamed Chen (陳) said that the number of thefts might be much higher than reported.
“I received a call from one person who said they had 300 catalytic converters and asked if I was interested in purchasing them,” he said.
Chen said that scrapyards such as his are under strict supervision from the Environmental Protection Administration, so obtaining parts from unknown sources is impossible.
The amount of precious metals in a catalytic converter varies by vehicle, as some manufacturers use the minimum amount required to meet basic regulations, while others use larger amounts to meet stricter international standards, he said.
Scrapyards pay for legally scrapped vehicles and auto parts, with prices depending on the brand, year of manufacture, model and other factors, he said.
“We typically pay about NT$1,000 to NT$2,000 for a scrapped converter, but one from a Mercedes-Benz or a BMW can be worth about NT$5,000 to NT$6,000,” he said. “Those from vehicles with larger engines are also more valuable.”
Thieves typically sell stolen parts to illegal scrapyards that are not concerned about where the parts come from, he said.
Police urged vehicle owners to avoid parking in poorly lit places with little traffic and no surveillance cameras, as thieves operate in such areas.
Police also suggested installing a vehicle alarm, saying that alarms would be triggered when something bumps into the vehicle or it is lifted off the ground.
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