Thief crushed to death while stealing catalytic converter

Astra stored in locked garage compound was left in neutral causing it to roll off jack while would-be thief was underneath

Thief crushed to death while stealing catalytic converter
Police on scene at JB Autos.

A man has been crushed to death while attempting to steal a catalytic converter under the cover of darkness after breaking into a garage compound in Swindon, Wiltshire.

The jack supporting a blue Vauxhall Astra while Gary Gray was underneath slipped, causing the full weight of the vehicle to slam down and suffocated him.

His body was discovered the following morning by Vilfredo Fernandes, an employee of JB Autos, as he opened up for work on November 15 last year.

The shocked assistant manager of repair garage JB Autos saw the 38-year-old’s legs sticking out from under a car stored in one of the company’s two locked compounds.

Related: Garages hit by spate of catalytic converter thefts

Mr Gray’s hands were covered in dirt and oil, a torch he had been using was still on and a cutting tool was gripping part the car’s exhaust.

Nearby were mole grips and a backpack containing spanners, cooking foil, a watch, and a bottle of methadone.

In a statement read out at Mr Gray’s inquest this week, Mr Fernandes said: “I arrived around 8am and I could see a pair of legs on the floor sticking out from under a car which had a black car-jack near the front wheel.

“I called my boss, told him what happened, and he told me to call an ambulance.”

Paramedics pronounced Mr Gray dead at the scene.

£60 re-sale value

Police later established that he had been trying to steal a catalytic converter, thought to have a re-sale value of around £60, from the vehicle,

JB Autos manager James Brown said: “There is a six-to-eight feet-high fence around each compound and I keep scrap cars for spare parts inside the second.

“Over the years I have had a number of thefts, so I keep the vehicles unlocked to stop people damaging them and smashing the windows before they realise there’s nothing valuable inside them.

“The vehicles are left in gear with the handbrake off to stop the brakes seizing.”

Fatal consequences

It is believed that this caused the car to move while Mr Gray was fiddling with the Vauxhall’s underside, with fatal consequences.

Sgt Scott Anger, who investigated Mr Gray’s death, said: “He was in the process of stealing a catalytic converter but his chest had been compressed.

“He had gained entry illegally overnight.

“This was not an industrial accident and was filed as a non-suspicious sudden death.

“The car jack had been dislodged.

“He had placed a wooden panel under him to prevent him lying on the cold ground.

“This raised his body closer to the car, which was left in neutral and would have rolled off the car jack because it was not secure.”

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  • #190843 Reply

    A man has been crushed to death while attempting to steal a catalytic converter under the cover of darkness after breaking into a garage compound in S
    [See the full post at: Thief crushed to death while stealing catalytic converter]

    #190858 Reply
    Jonny Bravo
    Guest

    Hahahahaha serves the smack head right, one less drain on the economy and once less smack rat thieving scrote on the streets!!!! No sympathy………….

    #190863 Reply
    volkscool
    Guest

    Serves the thieving bastard right,We do not go into business with all the risks and rules and regulations to have a worthless person like this effect our businesses,These type of people do not care what the effect of their thieving and damage does.

    #190865 Reply
    James Walpole
    Guest

    Hearty agree with the above comments

    #190866 Reply
    Steve Shinnick
    Guest

    Irrespective of the wrong doing I would much prefer individuals to go to Court for punishment than the mortuary. I trust someone is grieving the loss of the deceased.

    #190869 Reply
    Dougal
    Guest

    Well said Steve !

    #191012 Reply
    Paul
    Guest

    I think the Astra belongs to Charles Darwin…

    #191258 Reply
    Paul Taylor
    Guest

    Here’s a thought in our present PC correct world!! Yawn!! how long before health and safety stick their ore in and take you to court for not leaving him the correct tools and safety equipment for him to correctly carry out what he was doing, or worse he may have cut his little finger climbing over the fence and sue you for damages unfortunately it’s not unheard of. Sorry I agree no sympathy you run the wire you take what comes unfortunately for him it was the ultimate price

    #191697 Reply
    Pete
    Guest

    these guys who steal from others are a drain our society causing us all countless pain and suffering from the financial loss they inflict. Like any job the one of thief has an associated job description within his it would have mentioned you will be beat up badly if caught, you may run risk of injury or death because you’re being an arse++++_

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