Asked by
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of
the recent increase in thefts of catalytic converters; and of the
impact of these thefts on (1) motorists, and (2) the insurance
industry.
(Con)
My Lords, we know that a rise in the value of metal may be a
driver of recent increases in metal theft. We do not have
specific data on the theft of catalytic converters. However,
recorded offences of metal theft in March 2018 were still 73%
lower than in March 2013. We absolutely recognise the distress,
disruption and potential cost that this crime can cause victims.
(CB)
I am very grateful to the Minister for that Answer, which
amplifies the point I wish to elucidate, which is that we do not
know how widespread this crime is. I declare at this point that
my interest was piqued when I was, shall we say, catalytically
bereaved, but it is no laughing matter, because it costs £2,000
to replace a converter, some motorists have lost two or even
three, and a gang is going round armed with a metal bar to deter
people who would stop their malfeasance. Does she have any idea,
perhaps from speaking to motor manufacturers, how motorists can
best protect their converters—perhaps mechanically—both now and
in future?
I regret the noble Lord’s catalytic bereavement—it sounds
unpleasant—but he asks a helpful question to which there are two
answers. First, practical advice is available from police forces
and easily accessible online. They advise installing what is
known as a Thatcham-approved alarm, which goes off if a vehicle
is lifted or tilted. One can also buy protection devices for
catalytic converters as a form of guard, there are marker systems
and, obviously, the police advise parking in a well-lit garage.
Secondly, my honourable friend the Minister in the other place
has set up a vehicle theft task force, which is working with the
motor and insurance industries on longer-term solutions.
(Con)
My Lords, does the Minister agree that this is neither a
technical nor a policing issue but, at its root, a social one? In
particular, our prison system is not configured or resourced to
reprogramme, educate and train our errant youngsters so that they
can engage exclusively in legitimate economic activity.
My noble friend speaks with great knowledge of the prison system—
Noble Lords
Oh!
I should clarify; his knowledge does not come from personal
experience, as I understand it. He makes a fair point. There are
many reasons, including social ones, behind crime. Of all types
of crime, this is one where a technical solution is relevant.
Metal theft is down by 73% since the scrap metal Act was
introduced in 2013. In this industry, technical innovation has
helped to reduce crime.
(LD)
My Lords, Antonia Grey, the public affairs manager for the
British Metals Recycling Association, said:
“It is highly likely that these stolen catalytic converters are
finding their way into the recycling system here by being taken
to illegal scrap metal dealers who are openly offering to pay
cash for materials. This is happening because there is now no
enforcement of the law at a time when the budgets of police and
local authorities have been eviscerated”.
Does the Minister agree?
I am aware that if you go online—there is no end to the research
one does in your Lordships’ House to find out about these
things—you find a number of dealers advertising cash for scrap
metal, as the noble Lord mentions. Often, however, when you go on
to the site, it offers delayed payment, so the dealers may be
using a cash offer as a hook. The noble Lord makes a fair point.
Obviously, the rise in metal prices has an impact on the
attractiveness of this crime type but the scrap metal Act was
reviewed in 2017 and found to be working well. We believe that
part of the increase in recorded metal thefts is due to better
police recording. I repeat: overall crime in this area is down by
73%.
(Lab)
My Lords, next Wednesday, I will ask the Government a Question on
the theft of metal more generally, not just catalytic converters;
I think the noble Lord, , will answer. I was
interested in the Minister’s figure relating to the drop in metal
theft since the 2013 Act. That certainly occurred to begin with;
one reason for that was the work of the metal theft task force.
However, that task force was abandoned; the latest figures, some
of which I will bring to the House next week, show that since it
was scrapped, the incidence of metal theft has gone up again.
Does the Minister agree?
I can only apologise that I am not familiar with the details of
the task force but I agree that metal theft has increased by 30%
over the past year. I look forward to the noble Lord’s Question.
(CB)
My Lords, does the Minister agree that crime was generally coming
down until about three years ago? One of the principal reasons
for that was design. Two things have happened: car design has not
kept up with thieves’ ability to steal cars and, sadly, car
manufacturers have not continued to prevent catalytic converters
being removed and still being useful as converters or scrap
metal. Surely that is where the Government ought to aim their
attention. It is a long-term project because changing the type
takes a while in Europe and, for the manufacturer, the lead time
to change a design is long. However, I see no efforts to change
car design or catalytic converters yet.
The noble Lord is right that car theft has gone up by about 7% in
the past year. In particular, the theft of cars less than a year
old, which I think the noble Lord referred to, has increased over
the past five years from a fairly steady 5% to 10% to closer to
20%. The vehicle theft task force will look at these exact areas,
working with the motor and insurance industries to improve
vehicle security standards.
