Three men have been arrested following a county-wide spree of catalytic converter thefts last night (14 to 15 June), including one man being shot with an air rifle.

Police detained three men on suspicion of theft from a motor vehicle in Fareham after a one gang crime wave across Hampshire, including Chilbolton, Whiteley and Romsey. They were caught after trying to escape from the scene of the latest theft, before being caught on Duncan Road, Park Gate.

Police have now appealed for information, saying: “Officers would be keen to hear from anyone who has information on any of these incidents.

“Were you in the area at the time? Did you see or hear anything suspicious? Perhaps you have private CCTV or dash cam footage?

“Anyone with information is asked to phone 101 with reference 44210233975.”

The spree began in Romsey at around 10:30 pm on May 14, when two catalytic converters were stolen from vehicles in Woodley Close and Ganger Road. They then headed north to Chilbolton, where a vehicle on Eastmans Field was targeted at around 11:30pm.

After midnight, there was an attempted theft from Pearson Lane in Shawford at 1:30am, where a victim was shot with an air-rifle.

They then stole converters from Claylands Road and Greens Close in Bishops Waltham, at around 2am, before another was taken from Chapel Road, Swanmore, at 2:28am.

The trio were caught after police were called just before 3am on 15 June to reports of three men attempting to steal a catalytic converter from a vehicle on Ferneham Road, Fareham. Damage was caused to three vehicles on the victim’s driveway.

The offenders made off and were detained by police a short while later on Duncan Road, Park Gate.

A 28-year-old man from Southampton, a 34-year-old man from Totton, and a 24-year-old man from Hythe, were arrested on suspicion of theft from a motor vehicle. They remain in custody at this time.