Price of palladium skyrockets - which may mean more cat thefts??

[FROSTYBALLS]

See https://www.thedrive.com/news/31886/prices-of-palladium-in-your-cars-catalytic-converter-skyrocket-due-to-chinese-demand

[Catlover]

Thanks FB’s.  Similar news item just been reading on my tablet from BBC News. Worldwide shortage of Palladium, precious metal used in petrol car catalytic  converters.             
Palladium is mostly sourced from Russia and Africa, that immediately tells me corruption will have a bearing on supply/costs. Since VW diesel gate scandal, a lot of diesel owners have changed over to petrol cars. Catalytic converters in diesel cars use Platinum as it’s more suited to diesel. So a big switch to petrol cars makes the supply of Palladium even more difficult.  Rapidly increasing car sales in places like China and India also adds massively to the problem.
Apparantly the cost of Palladium has increased by 25% in the last 2 weeks, and now stands about £1900 per ounce.              
Quoted from BBC...... “The Scrap Metal Dealer Act 2013 was supposed to make it harder for thieves to sell stolen components, by requiring dealers to be licensed and preventing them paying cash for scrap.”      Reality..... “Trade association the British Metals Recycling Association has said stretched resources mean the police are unlikely to prosecute scrap dealers operating illegally”

[Gerg]

1 hour ago, Catlover said:

“Trade association the British Metals Recycling Association has said stretched resources mean the police are unlikely to prosecute scrap dealers operating illegally”

How can this be given a higher profile?  Any change to the way this crime is prioritised would have to be a driven from the top downwards.  Unless there is some embarrassment caused to the people who can change how this is policed, then nothing will happen.  That's not going to be easy of course, judging from recent events.

A law that is not enforced is of almost no point, and if it was enforceable in 2013 (it was effective then, wasn't it??), why not now?  When one law is left unenforced, then all sorts of other laws are weakened.

Anyone fancy starting a petition to get this type of theft policed properly??

[FROSTYBALLS]

The Scrap Metal Dealer Act 2013 requires dealers and mobile collectors to purchase a licence from the Local Authority, and to keep records detailing where scrap metal they handle is sourced from. Costs vary from Authority to Authority. As regards enforcement, this would largely lie with the Local Authority. Police would probably become involved where theft is suspected or during a traffic stop on mobile collectors.

Both Local Authorities and Police Forces are running with reduced budgets - the Police budget reduction in 2018 stood at 19% compared to 2010.

The primary target of any petition would need to be Local Authorities, rather than the Police.

[MagicBoy]

I work for a local authority. Budgets have been similarly slashed to the police, whilst statutory provisions have been increased. Education and Welfare understandably take priority over checks on scrap metal dealers in the times of austerity.

Apologies for the tough love, - the electorate voted the parties in who have ripped the public services apart via Central Government and privatised the profitable bits, so it's on the country for keeping them in power. Local Government and the Police warned of it at the time, just takes a few years until it's too late and people actually notice it's gone wrong.

More productively - maybe use FOI requests to make enquiries about the scrap metal checks. Might kick them into action if they get enough heat for it...

[Gerg]

2 hours ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

The primary target of any petition would need to be Local Authorities, rather than the Police.

Yes, I understand, by policing I was meaning anyone who administers the regulations, as well as the police.

 

1 hour ago, MagicBoy said:

Local Government and the Police warned of it at the time,

I remember this being reported at the time and thinking how badly-judged the decision was.

I was working alongside some VOSA emissions people when the VW diesel situation was being brought up in parliament (2016?).  The VOSA manager explained that as it was being discussed by MPs 'in the house', that for a month or two their emissions testing equipment budget was almost limitless.  After the dust had settled and no-one was interested any more then their budgets would go back to normal, he said, but as long as an MP could stand up and quote what the government (VOSA) was doing about the situation, as a way of getting one over the opposition, then their spending powers went through the roof. 

It's disappointing that the wheels of government work like that.  But, with luck and good judgement, you might be able to make it work to your advantage.

I can't see any reason why catalyst theft will not get more widespread.  And I think other car makes and models will become targets.

I was just looking to prompt suggestions as to alternative things that might be done, beyond fitting extra hardware to your car!

[Parts-King]

A large proportion of these cat thefts are organised criminal gangs, the same gangs that fund drugs and large scale wire theft as well, the cats got to China and India "No questions asked" 

[magooan]

I really don't think the thieves that stole my cat have sleepless nights about the Scrap Metal Dealer Act 2013. Parts-King has it, they will leave the Country " No questions asked" 

Sorry to be a little curt as its one of my first posts,but this subject is still a little raw with me.

Thanks for listening.

Gary