Cambridgeshire named as hotspot for catalytic converter thefts – study

Cambridgeshire has been named as a key hotspot in England and Wales for catalytic converter thefts.

That’s according to a new study by insurance company Go Compare, which based its data on 27 police force responses to a Freedom of Information request in 2023.

It found that Cambridgeshire had the greatest number of thefts, affecting one in 1,292 vehicles – followed by Hertfordshire at one in 2,076 and Greater London at one in 2,351.

Tom Banks, car insurance expert at Go Compare, said: “Based on the latest figures, catalytic converter thefts have been rife in the areas around Hertfordshire. The spikes here could be due to other factors, like differences in each police force’s reporting methods, or some areas having fewer to report as they made preventing them a higher priority.”

Parts of England and Wales that saw the lowest number of thefts were Suffolk, affecting one in 433,100 vehicles and Gloucestershire at one in 364,700 in 2023.

Norfolk had a similarly low rate of just three thefts – equating to one in 165,000 vehicles. Meanwhile, Humberside and Northumbria had a recorded one in 56,750 vehicles and one in 24,944.

Parking your vehicle in a garage or fitting an alarm with a tilt sensor are great ways to prevent your catalytic converter from being stolen.