Catalytic Converter Theft (1161A/22)
Request
- The number of catalytic converter thefts recorded by your force, month by month, in the last 24 full months of for which you have data?
- The number of arrests made in connection to the thefts of catalytic converters month by month for the same period as in 1. above?
- How does West Midlands Police sub-categorise the crime of theft into different types?
Response
Our data are not organised in such a way as to allow us to provide this information within the appropriate (cost) limit within the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act (see ‘Reason for Decision’ below).
Although excess cost removes the force’s obligations under the Freedom of Information Act, as a gesture of goodwill I have supplied information, relative to your request, retrieved before it was realised that the fees limit would be exceeded (see attached). I trust this is helpful, but it does not affect our legal right to rely on the fees regulations for the remainder of the request.
REASON FOR DECISION
Please note that researching each individual case would exceed the appropriate limit (FOIA, s.12).
In relation to question 2, we are unable to identify arrests in relation to these offences. This information would be contained within the case file itself, therefore in order to determine this we would have to manually review each individual custody record for the requested time period. Such a search, however, would exceed the appropriate limit (FOIA, s.12).
The cost of compliance with the whole of your request is above the amount to which we are legally required to respond, i.e. the cost of locating and retrieving the information would exceed the appropriate costs limit under section 12(1) of the FOI Act 2000. For West Midlands Police, the appropriate limit is set at £450, as prescribed by the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004, S.I. 3244.