(MENAFN- Khaleej Instances)
Posted: Sun 27 Mar 2022, 12:44 PM
Previous updated: Sunshine 27 Mar 2022, 4:44 PM
A frequent car element that could be extra beneficial than gold has caught the eye of crime syndicates. And about the earlier two a long time, the police in the UAE have seen a spike in the theft of this gadget identified as catalytic converter.
These catalytic converters — an exhaust emission handle machine that can be discovered in approximately all contemporary vehicles — have metals like palladium, platinum and rhodium, which could be offered at significant charges primarily when the benefit of these valuable metals go up. From 2020 to 2021, the costs of rhodium hit file highs, climbing a lot more than 200 for every cent and exceeding the rate of gold.
The law enforcement have urged car house owners and car rental companies to keep on being vigilant, as the theft has now come to be an organised criminal offense operate by ‘professional gangs’.
In just one case past year, the Dubai Police arrested a gang of 5 Asians for reportedly thieving the catalytic converters of 431 cars owned by two motor vehicle rental providers. The stolen automobile products have been approximated to be truly worth Dh3,640,000.
Intruders would generally lower a car’s exhaust to get the converter, and then close up the exhaust once more by welding it, the authorities reported.
Rashid Salih Al Ameen, a supervisor at a car rental firm in Sharjah, had been a victim of this crime. He rented out three autos to a few Asians for two days, but when they returned the vehicles, a mechanic observed the device stolen.
“Before handing the suspects their rental files, I identified as the police who arrested them immediately and referred them to the public prosecution.”
Beware of mechanics, also
Sameer Salih, an operator of a car or truck repair service shop in Sharjah, confirmed that the theft of catalytic converters had recently turn out to be extra popular.
“Many motorists who arrived to our store for repairs learned that their cars’ catalytic converters ended up stolen,” Salih mentioned.
This vehicle part, he spelled out, is found underneath the automobile near the exhaust, and it effectively converts poisonous gases — like carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, and hydrocarbons — into a lot less dangerous substances, like carbon dioxide.
“But these converters are made of important metals that make them a focus on for robbers. Even some fix outlets and unscrupulous mechanics have been involved in rackets,” Salih explained.
Some mechanics, he reported, would encourage unsuspecting shoppers to get their catalytic converters replaced even if they have been nevertheless in very good condition. After the customer agrees, they would retain the old product and provide it.
“The charge of a catalytic converter may possibly reach Dh6,000. Car or truck owners need to make confident that the device is no lengthier valid in advance of agreeing to a substitution. The examination of its validity can effortlessly be finished through a computerised process,” Salih stated.
Mustafa Azhar, one more vehicle repair service expert, confirmed that such a racket does exist these days and motorists really should be wary of these frauds.
“Some workers in the subject mislead motor vehicle entrepreneurs and force them to get rid of their catalytic converters to keep away from potential technical challenges. On the other hand, the alternative lies in cleansing it, as a result of various approaches and preparations obtainable in the current market,” Azhar said.
How the theft is carried out
A gang of 5 Asians were being arrested in Dubai previous yr for allegedly thieving the catalytic converters of 431 vehicles owned by two rental businesses.
Investigations discovered that the defendants took the vehicles to garages and rented a store in yet another emirate. They opened up the vehicles’ exhaust systems, eliminated the catalytic converters, and welded the other parts again.
Just one of the defendants confessed to the crime and claimed the other customers of the gang aided him out.
“I asked 1 of the defendants to lease the autos at Dh180 a working day and then hand them in excess of to me. I returned the autos to him just after four several hours of chopping the exhaust and thieving the catalytic converters,” the accused informed the investigators.
A community relations agent in a single of vehicle rental organizations mentioned he identified that the portion was stolen and as a result claimed the incident to the police.
In yet another circumstance, the Dubai Criminal Court docket jailed an African gang for a few months, fined its users Dh4,000 dirhams, and deported them soon after they ended up located responsible of the same theft.
A vehicle rental enterprise was also the target in this circumstance. A gross sales supervisor listened to an unusually loud sound from a single of his cars parked in entrance of their shop in Dubai, and when he got it inspected, the technician confirmed that the catalytic converter was missing.
A top rated official at the Dubai Police Felony Investigation has urged automobile rental providers to be wary of this sort of thefts, which have been on the increase in the previous two a long time.
“Thoroughly check the vehicles and make guaranteed the catalytic converter is in tact just before accepting the return. In circumstance the part is missing, inform the police right absent,” the authorities stated.
What you can do to keep protected
- Park your car or truck in a garage or in a perfectly-lit, chaotic area
- If your dwelling or office environment is outfitted with a CCTV digital camera, park autos in the subject of the system’s check out. This may perhaps enable alert you to a prospective intruder and seize footage that can be utilized by the police
- Do not concur to changing areas of your car or truck with no examining their validity
- Car or truck rental organizations ought to be certain the id of their prospects and meticulously inspect vehicles on their return
MENAFN27032022000049011007ID1103920914

Lawful Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the details “as is” without guarantee of any sort. We do not take any obligation or liability for the accuracy, written content, photos, video clips, licenses, completeness, legality, or trustworthiness of the facts contained in this posting. If you have any issues or copyright challenges similar to this write-up, kindly call the service provider higher than.