SCORES of cars are being targeted by criminal gangs who are ripping out catalytic converters to sell on the black market.
In the last week,police have received several reports of cars, mainly Toyota Priuses, being targeted in areas of Blackburn, including Brookhouse, Audley, Bank Top and Corporation Park.
Victims said thieves are using hydraulic jacks to lift cars off the road and steal the exhaust-cleaning catalytic converters, which contain valuable metals such as rhodium, copper, nickel and platinum. Thieves are stealing the converters in less than a minute in some cases.
No arrests have been made and police said they are stepping up patrols in the town.
Shazad Iqbal, a taxi driver, said his car was targeted on Cherry Street.
He said: “They came on around 8pm on Sunday and the CCTV shows that it took them less than a minute to jack up the car and steal the part.
“My wife spotted them and came outside but they are so brazen they just carried on.”
Mohammed Arif and his cousin Qurban Hussain were targeted on Queens Park Road in the early morning of Saturday. Mr Arif said he was aware of three other cases the Friday night.
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Cars parked anywhere in the open are said to be at risk in the crime spree which has also seen motorists in Bolton affected. It is believed the gangs are moving from town to town.
Raja Haider said he was among those targeted on Sunday night on Devonport Road.
It is believed five Toyota Prius cars were damaged on the same street in five minutes.
Mr Haider said: “They are probably spending a minute on each of the cars. I had to spend £300 to get it fixed. The Toyota dealer would charge us £1,200.
“All day Monday I was off work getting this fixed.”
Khalid Mahmood, 45, also a taxi driver, said his Prius was damaged while parked on Devonport Road. He said: “It is happened between 9pm and 11pm. Someone rang me and told me that Toyota Prius cars were being targeted and was my car safe. I checked and tried to start the car and realised that it was too late and they had already been.
“It cost £250 to fix and I had to take two days off work.
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“I don’t think the police are taking these thefts seriously enough and need to do more.”
Gulfraz Khan, another taxi driver, said several cars were targeted in the Leamington Road area on Sunday night.
He said: “I know in this area and the adjoining streets 10 were targeted on New Bank Road, Granville Road and Lynwood Road.”
Petrol station worker Ahmed said thieves were on Rhyl Avenue on Sunday night too
He said: “My neighbour had the same theft on the same night. He found out in the morning.
“My wife rang me at 10pm to ask why the car was making such a noise. Then we realised that something was wrong.
“Police said they would investigate it. I have to pay several hundred pounds to fix it on Monday. Everyone with a Toyota Prius needs to be on alert.”
Zainul Aabedin, 49, also a taxi driver, had his vehicle targeted last night on Oozebooth Terrace.
He said: “I parked up at 7pm and only noticed something was wrong when I tried to start the car the next day. The car starts and then makes a noise.”
“I had to travel to Bolton to get it fixed and it cost me £200.
“I was told it has been happening in Bolton. The mechanic said he had fixed twenty to thirty in the past month.”
Former Shear Brow councillor Muntazir Patel, who works as a taxi driver, said: “I have now spoken to 15 people who have had this happen to them but I believe there are more.
“They are targeting different areas. Some drivers have tried to chase them but they run away.
“It takes minutes to jack up the car and cut off the part and they are away.”
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Sgt Jon Cisco said: “These offences are being investigated and police patrols have been stepped up. I would like to reassure the public these offences are being taken extremely seriously.
“No arrests have been made and enquiries are ongoing.
“The majority of the vehicles targeted are Toyota Priuses and I would urge owners of such vehicles to be on their guard. There are products available that secure catalytic converters.
“If anyone does see a situation where people carrying out work on the underside of vehicles are acting suspiciously then I would encourage them not to approach them but to write down the make and registration of the vehicle and to contact the police.”
Sgt Cisco also asked anyone with CCTV footage of the recent thefts to contact police via 101.
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