Catalytic converter theft

[OilStained]

Overnight, my neighbor’s catalytic converter was stolen. When he turned on his car, it sounded pretty awesome. He filed a police report. Law enforcement came by and told us this is still quite common. According to the officer, the 3 top vehicles in no particular order are the Toyota Prius, Kia (something), and Honda CRV. I would have thought the Toyota RAV4 would be on that list.

If it were me, I’d keep it the way it is if only to make the Mustang give me a second look.

 

[Legs4Arms]

Tulsa?

 

[Lubener]

Those models must have the most precious metals in them. They certainly aren't the easiset to crawl under. Hard to believe nobody heard the saws all cutting the converter free.

 

[Legs4Arms]

Those models must have the most precious metals in them. They certainly aren't the easiset to crawl under. Hard to believe nobody heard the saws all cutting the converter free.

People do they just don't want to inject themselves into potential conflict.
Weaksauce...

 

[Lubener]

People do they just don't want to inject themselves into potential conflict.
Weaksauce...

The Schultz affliction. I see nothing and hear nothing.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

I like the stories where they jacked it up, but the jack fell and car landed on them.

They stole my daughters from her CRV 4 years ago. Factory cats were on backorder, unknown time for availability. I had to get an aftermarket one. 1.5 years later started with cat in-efficency code, replaced under cat manufacturer warranty. 1.5 years later hers is throwing the code again. We just reset it. I'm not spending over $1700 + install for a factory one to cure that on an 18 year old, 252k mile vehicle.

The lot she was in had security but of course he had left to get food/bathroom. Camera's gave no details for license plates etc.

 

[Legs4Arms]

All thieves should be dropped from helicopters into active volcanoes

Good riddance to bad garbage...

 

[demarpaint]

My SIL and niece one town over had their cat converters stolen a few nights apart out of the same driveway. It seems to be common around here. I agree with @Sequoiasoon regarding the stories. I miss my dog, if someone was bold and stupid enough to enter my driveway to attempt taking my cat converter I would have no problem letting him greet them and address the situation.

 

[Delta]

Cat theft has been going on for a long time. Back in 2017 I was in the outskirts of Allentown, PA at a Holiday Inn and someone in the lot had the cat stolen off their F250/350. It sounded pretty good to be honest, strait piped gas 6.2.

We were told to park our vans close to entrances/exits since that's where the cameras were. I'm honestly shocked at all the places we've been to around Philly and Syracuse, NY our vans didn't get nabbed.

 

[GON]

@OilStained , sorry this happened to your neighbor, and thanks for sharing the story.

I had though converter theft had quieted down; maybe not.....

 

[joekingcorvette]

It's too bad recycling places can't stamp them and make them return the converters in 1 year before they get paid. Not sure that is a good reason but there must be some way to diminish the theft of converters. Most of these thieves are probably about half homeless and unable to have anywhere to store the stolen goods.

 

[Arc]

All the police have to do is crack down on the scrap yards. A little undercover work and put a couple out of business as an example.

 

[lbhsbz]

People do they just don't want to inject themselves into potential conflict.
Weaksauce...

My neighbor up the street walked out when he heard the sawzall a few month ago and the thieves pointed a gun at him. Getting shot over a cat is stupid...better to let 'em have it.

 

[bladecutter]

My neighbor up the street walked out when he heard the sawzall a few month ago and the thieves pointed a gun at him. Getting shot over a cat is stupid...better to let 'em have it.

Especially if you have insurance on your car.
Poke your head out, find out what's going on, call the police, then call your insurance company.

As for people saying they would happily run out and defend their car part with a gun, or their family pet, yeah, right.
It's better to live your life without making the news, than to make the news when you find out the hard way what your life is and isn't worth.

 

[Patman]

They should make more cars that have a belly pan that completely covers the cat so that they don’t have easy access to it. My Corvette has that.

 

[mclasser]

Happened to me a few years ago. It sucked.

 

[Donald]

Gated community. Homeowner closest to gate entrance has a Ring camera that picks up vehicles coming and going. DSP lives next door. I have a dog. And pickup is diesel.

I think I am safe.

 

[zzyzzx]

Another reason to have a car, like my Alero where you would have to jack up the car to get to it.

 

[shortyb]

All the police have to do is crack down on the scrap yards. A little undercover work and put a couple out of business as an example.

You would think that would do it. Our county had a law that required anyone "recycling" things like copper, catalytic converters etc., to acquire a precious metals permit to dispose/sell this kind of stuff. This was done to stem the tide of copper/converter thefts, and the recipient had to submit to a criminal background check to get one. All the thieves did after this was to get a friend with a clean record to fence the stuff at local recycling places. The county checked the centers for multiple recycling by the same person, so thieves developed a lot of "friends" they would chose from. Stamped factory ID numbers would help some, but then they starting destroying the housings to obliterate the numbers. Always a way around things if you're gonna be dishonest.

 

[Jackson_Slugger]

Those models must have the most precious metals in them. They certainly aren't the easiset to crawl under. Hard to believe nobody heard the saws all cutting the converter free.

Not just scrap. A friend had work done at a chain shop down the street from him and a day or so later his cat was stolen off his Kia SUV with no other vehicles in the apt complex lot targeted. He thinks they may have put it on another Kia and charged the thousand$ in markup to the unsuspecting customer. Or maybe put it on one of their own to pass inspection....