Is this what's coming? Massive crime increase?

[pastypirate]

I'm not a doom monger by any stretch but I'm so so shocked by this. I work in a public sector role in a city centre office. We have permits for a multi story a few hundred yards away which is a public council car park. It's the car park for the city theatre and is heavily used day abs night.

My colleague returned to her car yesterday within office hours to find the exhaust has been sawn off and her catalytic converters and sone lamb sensor thing had been removed and stolen. It's a an 04 plate very generic hatch back little car.

The car was park on street level right by the exit barriers and this all happened in daylight. Opposite the car park and that floor specifically there is a row of offices and a restaurant where people sit outside. It's very public and along a main thoroughfare.

My friend is very shaken and very broke now. But my point is - is this kind of crime about to rocker due to cost of living crisis??

You can get cages to install around catalytic converters can't you?

People have not yet grasped the enormity of what could possibly hit them.

Yes crime and poverty are very much linked. Yet the idea that if you deal with the root causes of crime (poverty, mental health, trauma and addiction) before punishing people and making it harder for them to increase their earning potential, is still seen as radical by some people.

Crime rates always increase during recessions, not just theft but also assault, vandalism, murder even. It’s to do with a lot of pent up frustration, I suspect.

A second hand car sales garage near me had the cats solen from every car on its forecourt last night. Just read it in the local news.

It's because the price of rare metals such as platinum which catalytic converters contain. Certain cars are targeted, Honda jazz is a particular favorite to target.
I work in public sector and we had an incident a few weeks ago of thrives turning up in broad daylight, to our works car park, go round a few cars and zoom off. All in the space of ten mins.

I'm in the South West, and this was happeneing near here pre-covid, I recall seeing warnings that thieves were targetting Honda's as they were easier remove the bits from.

I know lots who have had theirs taken. The thieves seem to target hospital staff car parks overnight

My road had repeated theft of that
Every time they had if fixed bat welding theives stole it right back.
The only way to stop it would be to have that kind of car and immediately cover it

Oh and the plates of the cars of the theives are false

Catalytic converter thefts have been on the rise for a while now but I do think crime will increase as a whole due to the rising costs of everything, people will get desperate and that can leads to all sorts of trouble.
The government really need to crack down on this, giving out some money to people, whisky temporarily helpful to those eligible, does not solve anything.
I only have £50 in my bank and that needs to last me until pay day! I’m skipping meals to ensure our food lasts, I’ve been going to bed hungry for the past week.

I should think there might be a bit more thieving from supermarkets, but stealing catalytic converters is not due to the cost of living. It’s a criminal activity that has been going on years - more of a career criminal thing rather than something someone struggling would do.

Much like lead from church roofs, these things aren't being stolen by the destitute who need money to feed their kids, it's by organised gangs.

No definitely not new - 3 years ago we had a spate of catalytic converter thefts at our staff car park - it’s bound to get worse though in the current economic climate. I watch where I park.

Yes, this is more of an organised crime sort of hit, carried out by those profiteering from what's happening in society.

A bit like puppy thefts soared during lockdown, (because supply did not meet demand, people were prepared to pay and first-timers didn't know the red flags) fuel theft is soaring because there are more people prepared to buy cheap even when it's obviously shonky. The thieves aren't the desperate ones, they're the ones who take then sell the stolen goods to the desperate'

Catalytic converters a bit different because that's been around for as long as they have, and presumably it spreads inexorably out from densely populated cities to quieter areas where the thieves find more targets as people are perhaps not so alert, so don't use cages etc

Still v shit if you're on the receiving end

Yes, crimes goes up when people are desperate for money and sellable parts from cars, scrap metals, etc are relatively easy targets.

My friend works in a petrol station and they've had a huge increase in people driving off without paying (no pay at the pump service). They've also had a huge increase in people filling multiple petrol cans and driving off with them, presumably to sell on to other people. Shoplifting in the attached shop is also on the rise. And they've had an increase in people filling their tanks then coming into the shop to say they don't have any money and will come back to pay on such-and-such a day when they get paid but in the meantime they neer the fuel, it can't be siphoned back out and the police don’t pursue it so they get away with it.

Police dont even come out for cat thefts anymore. Surely it shouldn't be able to be off the car in 30 seconds though.
I'm not surprised. If your starving and have dc to feed youde do anything even stealing.
I dont think weve seen anything yet especially come winter.

This. It's not your average person stealing them, it's an organised group doing it. I'm surprised you've never heard of it, I'm Greater London and it's been happening here for ages. Before the pandemic even.

On the plus side, if its replaced with a cheaper converter (i.e. not the genuine manufacturer part) its not got the value of the original and the car is unlikely to be targeted again!

How distressing for your friend, unfortunately this seems to be the normal now.

A week ago my friend had a delivery of heavy boxes to her home, the kind delivery driver put the boxes in the hallway for her, whilst doing so he stole her car key that was on a small table in the hallway.

Obviously he is part of a gang that takes the key, hands it to his buddies who then steal the car hours later. The car was found having been in a police chase in North London area. It is disgusting what these gangs get up to. 🤬

My balance is much the same. Im also not eating very much. You do what you can dont you.

It feels like fiddling the meter with wire and buying things off the back of a lorry will be the complete norm again soon. Not seen regular stolen goods like DVD players for years now whereas that used to be v normal. Im 43 I know what's coming and it's sadly familiar.

Lots of catalytic converter theft and has been for years (in our area of London). Colleague told me yesterday that a shortage of car parts (due to covid and China shut downs) has meant parts are now being stolen to order so that could be a factor too.

I don’t think stealing car parts is a crime of the poor and desperate.

still frightening though.

Learned a lot from this thread. Honestly never heard of this before except alloys being stolen!

Older cars are more susceptible to this as it is easier with older cars and newer cars have more advanced security systems