Nottinghamshire Police have arrested a man in connection with a series of catalytic converter thefts from city car parks.

The 21-year-old man was arrested in Grantham, Lincolnshire, on suspicion of theft.

It follows reports of seven catalytic converter thefts from city car parks on 25 November 2019. Four were from the Toton Lane park and ride site, two from the Phoenix Park park and ride and one at The Forest park and ride.

The man remains in police custody.

Catalytic converters, which convert vehicle exhaust emissions into less toxic gasses, are targeted because they contain high value metals.

In recent months there has been a spate of incidents across Nottinghamshire, mostly in car parks and open spaces but also on residential streets.

The increase in this type of offence is being seen nationally and regionally.

Detective Chief Inspector Kevin Broadhead, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Catalytic converter theft can have a big impact on victims as repairs can be costly and time spent without a vehicle can make it difficult for victims to get to work, drop their children off at school and generally go about their daily business.

“As previous incidents have shown, it can take offenders only a matter of seconds to remove a catalytic converter which is why we’re urging members of the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to us.

“As today’s arrest shows, we are taking positive action as a force to identify individuals suspected to be involved in this crime type and to bring them to justice.

“While we have seen a rise in catalytic converter thefts this is very much a national and regional issue, rather than being just a Nottinghamshire issue.

“We have teams of officers who are working hard on ongoing investigations and operations to detect and disrupt offenders.

“As well as enforcement we are also working closely with partners, including car park operators, to look at crime prevention measures and signage to warn and educate drivers of the rise in catalytic converter thefts, as well as offering advice to motorists on steps they can take to protect their vehicles from opportunistic thieves.

“If you see anyone jacking a car up in a public car park, see anything that doesn’t sit right or anyone acting strangely please call us on 101. If a crime is currently taking place, call 999.

“People should also consider protective marking, and check with their vehicle’s manufacturer to see if there are any protective guards they can purchase.

For more advice on how to protect your vehicle from catalytic converter theft visit: