Police are warning motorists to take care to protect their catalytic converts or 'cats' from theft.

During the first week of June they received a report that

a catalytic converter has been stolen from a vehicle while parked in a residential area in the village of Horbling, Nr. Billingborough. The Stamford, Bourne and Deepings Team has issued a statement on the incident, along with Information and crime prevention advice for this type of crime. They explained: "Catalytic converters are part of the exhaust system of vehicles. They are a target for thieves as they are coated in a precious metal that has a high value. Thieves will cut the catalytic converter from a parked car and sell them on to scrap metal dealers. "Vehicles with a greater clearance from the ground such as 4x4s are at the greatest risk as they are easier to access underneath. They tend to have larger engines which mean they may contain more precious metals too. "What you can do to prevent becoming a victim It is difficult to completely stop the threat but there are some things you can do to prevent the risk of catalytic converter theft:

• Park your car in a garage or secure area if possible.

• Park in well-lit and busy areas.

• If you have a fleet of cars, consider defensive parking. This is where you block high clearance vehicles with low clearance ones to restrict the access underneath.

• If your catalytic converter is 'bolt on' consider having the bolts welded shut.

• Be aware of anyone looking underneath or working on cars in your area.

Report it

If your catalytic converter has been stolen or if you notice any suspicious activity, call 101 or report it online at www.lincspolice.uk

In an emergency, always call 999.