Jean-Baptiste Marty / Photo credits: Ludovic MARIN / AFP 16:35 pm, September 19, 2023

The staff of the RATP had the unpleasant surprise, this Monday morning, to discover the theft of catalytic converters in the bus depot of Créteil in the Val-de-Marne. In total, six vehicles were damaged and the total damage from the theft amounted to 240,000 euros. These pots contained precious metals that can be resold easily.

RATP buses were targeted last weekend. While parked in the Créteil depot in the Val-de-Marne, six vehicles were devoid of their catalytic converters. These thefts were noted Monday morning by the company's agents when they took office. RATP estimates the damage at 240,000 euros.

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Staff also found that the depot's surveillance cameras were disconnected prior to the flight.

Rare and precious metals

These catalytic pots are the target of criminals who very easily resell their loot. Popular with professionals, these pots contain rare and precious metals such as rhodium and palladium whose prices per kilogram have literally soared in recent months. In November 2020, rhodium had reached the exorbitant sum of 800,000 euros.

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RATP has not yet announced that it has filed a complaint. The bus line concerned was not impacted, the degraded buses having been replaced by others in the aftermath.