A RECENT upsurge in the theft of catalytic converters has led gardaí in Clare to warn vehicle owners to be on the alert.

At the end of last month, on October 28 at 2am, two males were seeing leaving the Rath Ban estate on the Tulla Road, Ennis after taking a catalytic converter from a car in the estate.

And at 2.15am on the same night another converter was stolen from a car parked at Woodfield, Broadford.

Meanwhile on October 25 between 10.30pm and 11.30pm the catalytic converter was stolen from a car parked in a shed at the rear of a house in Derreen, Miltown Malbay.

“The increase in these thefts is a reflection of the rise in price of palladium and rhodium metals,” explained Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Triona Brooks.

She advised motorists, “Defensive parking near a wall can make jacking up a vehicle difficult making this type of theft more difficult too. If you have a garage use it.”

Vehicles should be parked in well-lit, busy areas, she adds while also suggesting the installation of security lights to come on automatically when someone approaches a car parked in a driveway.

“Report any suspicious activity to the Gardaí,” she concluded.