Metal thefts

There was time before the crash in 2008 and even beyond when metal thefts were common.  The price of allsorts of different types of metals had soared.  You name it thieves were stealing it if it wasn’t nailed down and even if it was.  Henry Moore statues!  These things were huge bronze things that couldn’t be removed without some kind of lifting equipment.  I’m not a fan but even so.  My parents church had so many attempts (successful) at stealing the lead off their church hall roof they paid a venture scout to sit up the church tower all night.  The thieves came calling.  He phoned the police, who turned up on mass and cornered the men on the roof with police dogs.  At the time it was reckoned all the metals were going to China.  Anyway the government tightened the rules for scrapyards and the whole metal thefts story went quiet.

Now it seems to have come to life again.  The headline was about criminals stealing catalytic convertors, particularly from hybrids.  Hybrids have large quantities of rhodium and Palladium.  These metals are very expensive and comparatively rare.  Cars that have a high wheelbase are especially vulnerable, but for other cars they jack the car up and cut the cat off.

Apparently metal thefts of other more common metals such as copper and lead for church roofs have started up again too.  Worried about your cat?  You can buy an alarm to fit to it.  The whole thing is ridiculous, if only these people would put their efforts into legit businesses.  Anyway you have been warned.

Neil

PS the cat is number 5 on diagram above.