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11:25 09/08/2019
In a bid to tackle the recent spike in catalytic converter thefts in the county, Northamptonshire Police is taking action and holding a catalytic converter marking event for concerned vehicle owners.
The free of charge marking event will be a valuable opportunity for you to speak with a local officer about how to protect your vehicle from criminals whilst your catalytic converter is marked – all in the space of approximately 15 minutes. The marking itself will be done by a mechanic from the Force’s transport department.
The catalytic converter is a target for theft as it contains precious metals, including platinum and rhodium. Criminals can steal the converter in a few quick steps, and often go unchallenged by members of the public. Marking the catalytic converters on vehicles will act as a significant deterrent to criminals.
Each marking kit comes with a unique ‘CAT’ marking code. Once registered, the unique code can be married up with the vehicle registration details. The aim is to devalue the product to thieves and handlers of stolen goods, making it more difficult to sell on.
Paul Golley, who leads the crime prevention team at Northamptonshire Police, said: “I would encourage concerned vehicle owners to come along and get their catalytic converter marked, but particularly the owners of Toyota vehicles. In this recent spike of thefts, Toyota vehicles, particularly the Prius and Auris models, have accounted for a large percentage of all those targeted.
“This marking event which will be a fantastic opportunity to speak to one of our officers and gain some awareness of what may make your vehicle a target to criminals, and what actions you can take to protect your vehicle in the best way possible.”
The marking event will take place at the Toyota Garage at Riverside Park, Northampton on Wednesday, August 21, between 9am and 2pm. However due to a limited availability of appointments available, vehicle owners who are interested in attending are requested to book an allocated time slot rather than dropping in on the day.
Please note: Failure to have a time slot allocated will result in being turned away as time slots will be booked back to back.
Appointments will be allocated on a first come, first serve basis.
Anyone wishing to take advantage of the free marking session are invited to call Kate Bailey on 101, extension 346195 or email [email protected] to book a time slot.
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