Appeal after catalytic converter theft in Sussex

Police are appealing for witnesses following the theft of a catalytic converter in East Sussex.

Two people approached the victim’s car, which was parked on Brooklands Avenue.

One suspect can then be seen to jack the car up while the other cuts the converter out. It’s believed both suspects left the scene in a silver Subaru.

It happened just after midnight in Crowborough on Thursday (December 8).

Officers are carrying out enquiries to identify the two suspects and would like to speak to anyone who witnessed any suspicious behaviour in the area around that time or who may have captured any relevant CCTV, doorbell, or dash cam footage of the Subaru in the vicinity.

The RAC is warning drivers to take extra steps of caution amid reports of criminals becoming more brazen to seemingly targeting a specific model of car on driveways in broad daylight:

1. Choose where to park your car carefullyWhere possible, park your car in a locked garage.If you don’t have the luxury of off-street parking or you’re not at home, you should park with the side of the car closest to the catalytic converter near to a fence, wall, high kerb or other vehicles, and avoid mounting the pavement on two wheels.2. Boost your home securityTo boost your home security, you can invest in sturdy garage doors, CCTV systems and even alarms for your driveway.3. Add a lock, guard or alarm to your vehicleLocks and guards for the underside of cars are also available. However, you should declare the security features with your insurance provider and check if adding one might affect a future claim.4. Mark your catalytic converterYou can ask a garage to add a serial number to your catalytic converter too. The Scrap Metal Dealers Act requires that dealers check the identity of sellers against the unique code.5. Report suspicious activity to the policeIt may seem obvious but contacting the police is one of the best ways to prevent catalytic converter theft.