£500 reward offered for anyone who provides information that convicts the thief who stole a catalytic converter in Conon Bridge in the Highlands
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A BUSINESS owner from Conon Bridge is offering a reward of £500 to find a thief.
Kenny Fraser, of Hielan Garden Services, said he had a catalytic converter stolen from his vehicle outside his home, and wants to stop the same thing happening to anyone else.
Catalytic converters are part of a vehicle's exhaust and are designed to filter out harmful emissions.
Thieves target them because they contain precious metals, including platinum, palladium and rhodium, which in early March hit nearly £25,000 per ounce.
Mr Fraser said: "I am offering a reward of £500 for the successful conviction of the thief or thieves that stole my catalytic converter form my rav4 diesel from Conon Bridge car park.
"It’s an old car, but that’s beside the point.
"A new catalytic converter and the complete exhaust is not cheap."
Mr Fraser said to replace the exhaust on his vehicle would be in excess of £2600.
He continued: "If this had happening to a family who depends on the car for work and their income it would have detrimental impact on them financially and mentally.
"If anyone has any information or anyone acting suspicious in and around my car please either get in touch with myself or better still phone Police Scotland, they have already been made aware.
"Everyone should be made aware that this is happening in the local area. I didn’t expect this kind of thing to happen in Conon Bridge although speaking to Police Scotland and Toyota Inverness it’s quite common, more so down south.
"Could be a local thief or thief’s or someone outside the area.
"£500 for information leading to the successful prosecution of said criminals."
He added: "I am of course still deciding what to actually do with the car, either get it fixed or scrap it.
"Due to the age of the car, the new exhaust system costs a lot more than I paid cash for the car originally."
