New Addington residents are fuming after a spate of catalytic converter thefts from parked vehicles hit the area.

Police say they have had a number of reports of the thefts over the past couple of weeks, especially around King Henry’s Drive.

The converters, which take just minutes to remove from vans, are normally hacked off with cordless saws and angle grinders.

The car parts contain traces of three precious metals - platinum, palladium and rhodium.

A thief can expect to pocket around £100 for each converter while the cost of a replacement for car owners can run to a £1,000.

One of the victims Ron Hall, a delivery driver, was quoted £300 for a replacement converter. It was wrenched off his Ford Transit van which was parked outside his home on King Henry’s drive.

The 52-year-old said: “As soon as I started the engine, it sounded like the exhaust had fallen off. I looked under the van and saw they had cut a 14inch section of my exhaust away.”

He called his insurance company who told him if he wanted to claim for the theft, his premium would go up by £600 and he would lose his no claims bonus.

“Aviva told me they had six claims relating to converter thefts that day alone.”

Sergeant Tim Bull, from the New Addington Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “People need to be on their guard against these thefts. They are fairly localised within New Addington around the Arnhem Drive, King Henry’s Drive area.”

Police advise drivers to keep their cars in garages whenever possible, invest in effective security lighting and etch a serial number onto converters.

Anyone acting suspiciously around a vehicle should be reported to Croydon police on 0300 123 1212 or crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.