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TORCHED ... one of the Nissan Micras which was set on fire.
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Cars are latest target of scrap metal thieves
Alice McKeegan27/ 8/2008
CARS with only a limited second-hand value are proving highly profitable for thieves.
Nissan Micras that were made between 1993 and 1997 are being stolen in Rochdale for their catalytic converters, which are fetching £150 a time at scrap metal merchants.
In the last fortnight seven Micras with L to R registration plates have been taken from Deeplish, Sparthbottoms and Freehold, the latest in Freehold at 6am on Tuesday.
After the converters and exhaust pipes have been removed the cars are then torched. Police say similar vehicle thefts are occurring across Greater Manchester and are warning Micra owners to be extra vigilant.
Kevin Tickle, Rochdale’s fire station commander, said: "These cars are being deliberately set on fire and we believe they are being targeted for their valuable materials as a result of increasing scrap metal prices.
"We don’t know why these specific vehicles are being targeted, but the parts contain valuable metals, such as platinum, and can be worth up to £150.
"Inadvertently these thieves are putting lives at risk because when our appliances are tied up dealing with these nuisance fires, we can’t attend other more serious incidents in the Rochdale area.
"This could result in a delay of four to five minutes before another appliance is sent to the incident and this period could be extremely costly."
The problem is being experienced across Greater Manchester and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is writing to all old-style Micra owners in the region to make them aware of the situation.
Station Commander Tickle added: "Car owners should be more careful around security. If they can lock their cars in a garage that would be advisable."
The Observer contacted a number of scrap metal merchants in the area. One, who asked to remain anonymous, confirmed he was aware of the problem, but said that merchants were not legally required to request identification from sellers. He added: "We are in a difficult position and if we stopped accepting car parts, the thieves would simply start stealing something else.
"The market has grown in the Far East and this has driven prices up which has affected prices in England, making these goods valuable commodities."
ANOTHER Nissan Micra has been targeted for its valuable catalytic converter. Thieves stole the car part, worth up to £150, before setting fire to the vehicle in Leach Street, Newbold, at around 6.45am on Thursday.
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28/08/2008 at 19:26