THIEVES have been targeting cars parked up in the John Radcliffe Hospital.

In what appears to be the latest in a string of similar incidents, three cars have been stripped of catalytic converters outside the hospital.

Catalytic converters contain a small amount of the precious metals platinum, palladium and rhodium which can be sold at high prices.

One of the victims was somebody who works at the JR.

They had parked at the hospital car park in Headington, when they started their shift.

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But as they returned to the car at about 7pm and attempted to start the engine, they noticed that it was 'louder than usual'.

It was only then that they checked the catalyic converter and saw that it had been cut off.

They told security who confirmed that similar incidents had been reported earlier in the day, but that there was no CCTV to capture the evidence.

Thames Valley Police confirmed it had three incidents reported on the same day, at the same location.

A spokesperson for the force said it was still investigating the incidents, but that no arrests had been made.

It comes after multiple warnings from police to weld on bolted converters, consider CCTV, and put a unique serial number on it.