Now, thieves have eyes on car parts

INTERIOR minister Bernard Cazeneuve is set to unveil a plan to crack down on the explosion in car-part theft in France.

A car is broken into or stolen once every five minutes in France, but car thefts have fallen 30% since 2007 - down from 750,000 to 550,000 last year, according to official figures.

But thieves are increasingly turning their attention to items such as catalytic converters, wheel rims, mirrors and even engine parts, which are easier to escape with and easier to sell on over the internet.

Mr Cazaneuve is set to unveil additional funding to help police combat car crime, including targeting those who sell stolen items online.

And he is expected to announce that new-generation “smart cameras” that can “read” up to 500 car registration plates in 15 minutes, enabling police to more rapidly locate stolen vehicles.

In January, AutoPlus magazine revealed French car thieves’ favourite targets.