Selby: Two men caught trying to steal valuable car part

North Yorkshire Police are appealing for information about two suspects, pictured on CCTV on Butts Lane, South Milford, who tried to remove a catalytic converter from a vehicle, on Tuesday, August 16.

A catalytic converter is a device fitted to a vehicle exhaust to reduce the amount of dangerous gases emitted.

One suspect was captured on CCTV with a distinctive mask Picture: North Yorkshire Police

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Police want to speak to the two men captured on CCTV as part of their investigation.

Both are described as young, slim and approximately 6ft tall, and both were wearing dark trainers with reflective stripes.

One had short hair with a floppy fringe pushed to the side, and the other was wearing a distinctive face mask and had a thick chain around his neck.

The suspects tried to remove catalytic converters from under cars Picture: North Yorkshire Police

PC Sylvia Matla, of North Yorkshire Police said: "Catalytic converters are often targeted by thieves as they contain valuable metals and can be removed in less than a minute.

"Thieves may then sell these converters via scrapyards, online, or ship them out of the country.

"Catalytic converter theft most frequently occurs in car parks, but they can happen anywhere.

"To keep your catalytic converter safe, you can ask your car dealer for advice on locks or guards that are approved by the vehicle manufacturer.

One suspect caught on CCTV Picture: North Yorkshire Police

"Try to make sure your vehicle is parked in a garage overnight, or if you have a commercial vehicle, park it in a secure compound. If this isn’t possible, park in an area that’s well-lit and overlooked and try to park so that the converter can’t be easily reached by potential thieves.

"Vehicles that sit high above the road are particularly vulnerable.

"You can also consider buying a forensic liquid which you can use to mark it, which will make it harder for thieves to dispose of."

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation should email Sylvia.Matla@northyorkshire.police.uk.

You can also call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for PC Matla.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number NYP-16082022-0147.