Catalytic converter thefts have plummeted by a staggering 98% as car crooks adapt their methods to focus on stealing more lucurative Electric Vehicle charging cables instead. Thefts of the once-prized catalytic converters fell from 3008 in 2019 to just 150 in 2024 with a fall in the price of precious metal as scrap and tougher police detection measures, credited with the dramatic drop.

But car crime hasn't disappeared with theft of valuable EV charging cables rocketing up 400% in just the past year as criminals adapt their behaviour. The date was exposed by a Freedom of Information request from Auto Express to all 48 police constabularies across the UK, of which a total of 30 forces provided a sufficient response to be included in the findings.

This found the sharpest fall in catalytic converter thefts was recorded in South Yorkshire, where incidents plummeted from 850 in 2021 to just five in 2024 - a staggering 99.4% drop.

Humberside Police also reported a major decline, with offences falling 84.4% over the same period, from 192 to 30.

According to Assistant Chief Constable Sarah Grahame of the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC), forces across the UK have worked closely with partner agencies in recent years to curb catalytic converter thefts, introducing a range of preventative measures, including a national database to register and track stolen converters, as well as the use of forensic marking to help identify stolen parts and catch offenders.

The market has also played its part with the wholesale price of rhodium - one of the key precious metals found in catalytic converters - hitting a 10-year high in 2021 but has since dropped significantly, slashing the resale value and making them far less appealing to criminals.

But instead they have turned their attention to EV cables where they can strip the valuable copper inside. Such has been the rise that charging network operator InstaVolt has now hired private security to monitor its equipment and fitted GPS trackers to its cables to deter theft.

Tom Jervis, consumer reporter at Auto Express said: "While it's encouraging to see catalytic converter thefts plummet so dramatically, our data shows that criminals are simply changing tactics rather than disappearing altogether. The rise in EV cable thefts is the latest reminder that as car technology evolves, so do the opportunities for crime.

"It's clear that police and manufacturers have made real progress in tackling catalytic converter theft through better tracking, forensic marking and falling scrap values. But with the rapid growth of electric vehicles, the focus now has to shift to protecting the UK's charging network.

"InstaVolt's Delvin Lane warns that cable theft is a growing challenge that threatens driver confidence and could undermine investment in vital charging infrastructure; stronger deterrents, smarter design and coordinated enforcement will all be key to staying one step ahead."