Local Police officers in Alaquàs have arrested two individuals who were stealing catalytic converters from vehicles in a municipal parking lot. The suspects were using a thermal lance to cut the parts when they were caught during a routine patrol. The swift intervention, with support from the National Police, led to their arrest and subsequent referral to the judicial authorities.
The thermal lance: precision cutting tool for theft 🔥
The thermal lance, also known as a plasma torch, uses an electric arc to generate temperatures that melt metal in a localized manner. In this case, the criminals used it to cut through exhaust pipes and extract the catalytic converters, which are rich in metals like platinum and palladium. This method allows for quick and quiet cuts, making detection difficult. However, its use requires a certain technical skill, something the detainees demonstrated they had, albeit not for legal activities.
The most expensive cut of their lives: from the thermal lance to the cells 😅
The two friends thought a thermal lance was the key to a quick and profitable business. And indeed it was: it provided them with an express ride in a patrol car, free accommodation at the police station, and a date with the judge. What they didn't calculate is that, after cutting catalytic converters, their freedom would be more severed than an exhaust pipe. Good thing they didn't schedule an appointment for the heist, because the police arrived without an agenda.