BRAZEN thieves stole a valuable part from a car parked at a busy business estate.

Alexander Holland, who works at Milton Park near Didcot, said a catalytic converter was stolen from a hybrid car there on Wednesday.

He said it happened during daylight hours and the security team told him it 'wasn't the first' in the past few weeks.

He said there had been a 'communication breakdown' as despite the apparent pattern, he was not aware of staff there being made aware.

ALSO READ: Video of catalytic converter being stolen from car in Oxford

In response to a tweet, Milton Park said: "We were sorry to hear of this incident.

"Our teams have been in close contact with Thames Valley Police and are examining CCTV footage.

"We have previously communicated guidance on catalytic converter thefts to our travel forum reps."

Milton Park issued advice to employees on Thursday and said it will be increasing patrols - read more here.

 

Police have warned of catalytic converter thefts at several Oxfordshire locations, including at park and rides and even at the John Radcliffe Hospital.

READ AGAIN: The 3 cars being targeted for catalytic converters at park and rides

Last month the force revealed that there had been 450 reported across the Thames Valley since October.

Catalytic converters contain small amounts of the precious metals platinum, palladium and rhodium which can be sold at high prices.

Detective superintendent Jim Weems said last month: "There are some simple steps that you can take to reduce the risk of your vehicle being targeted.

"When parking in a car park, try to park with the front of your car against a wall and avoid parking at the end of a row. This makes it harder for offenders to gain access.

"When parking at home, where possible park in a garage or in a location that restricts access underneath your vehicle. You may also want to consider installing CCTV to protect your vehicle.

"You can identify or etch the catalytic converter with a unique serial number and advertise that the vehicle has been protected. If your catalytic converter is ‘bolt on,’ you can speak to a mechanic about having the bolts welded shut."