Toyota Auris owners are being warned they’re most at risk of catalytic converter theft, according to research.
The figures state that one in every 157 of these cars has the device taken – a higher ratio than any other model in the data. Drivers of this vehicle are now being warned to take extra precautions to keep it safe from thieves.
Another Toyota, the Prius, also ranked as one of the cars most likely to have its catalytic converter taken. One in every 196 of these models experiences a theft, the joint third-highest ratio on the list.
Cars by Lexus were also revealed as targets for thieves in the figures. The Lexus CT is the second most likely to have its catalytic converter stolen, with one in every 162 vehicles having the device removed in a year – only a slightly lower ratio than the Toyota Auris. Meanwhile, the Lexus RX is the fifth most likely to suffer this type of theft, with a ratio of one in every 213 cars having it stolen.
Joint third on the list is the Honda FR-V. This model is equally as likely to have its device stolen as the Toyota Prius, reporting one theft for every 196 cars. Honda appears to be another make that’s a prime target for thieves based on the study, as half of the models in the top 10 were made by this manufacturer.
After the FR-V, the Accord is the Honda model most likely to have its catalytic converter stolen. One in every 253 cars suffer this theft, the sixth highest ratio. Other Hondas in the top 10 include the Jazz, the S2000 and the CR-V, which were estimated to experience thefts for every 299, 310 and 388 cars respectively.
Toyota, Lexus and Honda are also the top three manufacturers most at risk of catalytic converter thefts.[2] Lexus had the highest ratio overall, with one in every 326 cars having the device taken within a year. Hondas have the second highest ratio of one theft for every 407 cars in the country.
Toyotas experience the third most catalytic converter thefts, although they’re half as likely to have the car part stolen as Hondas – one in every 985 Toyotas have one stolen in a year. Mitsubishi, Mazda and BMW are also among the most common targets for this theft.
Tom Banks, car insurance expert at Go.Compare, said, “Thieves tend to target the same makes or models when stealing catalytic converters because they become more familiar with how to remove them on specific vehicles. This makes it especially quick and easy for them to carry out the theft. Certain models might be targeted more often if they have higher ground clearance or other features that makes the device more accessible.
“If your car is one of the more targeted models, there’s no need to worry, but you could take some extra precautions to protect it. Try to park in a garage or next to a wall in a well-lit area, and avoid mounting the kerb. It could be worth fitting an alarm with a tilt sensor, too, or marking the catalytic converter with spray paint or a SmartWater pen to make it harder for thieves to sell it on.
“If you do suffer a theft, you will probably be covered by your car insurance as long as you have a comprehensive policy in place. Report the theft to the police and get a crime reference number, then contact your insurer and explain the situation. You’ll need your crime reference number and any evidence you have. You should then just need to wait for your payout.”
