Perhaps it's because emissions enforcement is done passively at the lowest cost possible? Stealing a CAT may be no different than stealing rims in the eyes of local law enforcement. It takes a lot of thefts before someone suspects a ring and when they do they want to catch everyone. That can take a long time.
I think you are right. Case in point.
We were selling an old Ford E250 delivery van at work around mid February in Minnesota. I put it in Craigslist and 3 days later at 4:30AM as a worker was pulling in to the back lot where employees park. He went to park and noticed a car driving off the other side exit to the back lot. He parked next to the van, and noticed the light dusting of snow that night was disturbed with jacket/body imprints on the side and under the van. He looked under and saw a hanging exhaust. So when I came in at 6AM he said the cats were stolen and I saw a car driving off, but did not think anything of it as sometimes people work late on 2nd shift. After the cats were gone he thought I wonder if that was them. We looked at the cameras and we saw the guy was under the car and our guys lights gave him enough time to get out from under the car and jump in the passenger seat and be driving off by the time our guy got to the back of the building.
I went to start it up to see if they got it. It was LOUD so they got it. I did a quick look under and saw the hanging mid pipe. I called the cops and they said we can't do much, and yes it is a problem. A cop called me from his squad and filled a report as they don't come out for cat theft. He talked about business putting in entry way post cameras to get plates. The police report was filed and case closed for the most part at the end of the call. 8:30AM. I went back out and looked at the body prints more when it became light out and notice both sides had body prints. So I looked closer and they got the driver cat, but they only were 1/2 of the last pipe away from getting the passenger cat. I thought these guys will be back, I thought possible meth heads with no brains. Their greed and stupidity will make them come back, it will bug them they were only 1/2 cut away from getting the 2nd cat. Our guy did not take chase, and they saw him park like he saw nothing.
I talked to my boss about buying a trail camera and trying to catch these guys and he denied it. I ended up calling the CFO and asked if I can spend $300 for a trail cam since I really think these guys will be back. He was pissed they got us and he said yes, no more then $300. I went out and got one and by the time I tested it and setup it was 30 mins away from my quitting time at 2:00 pm. We have semi trailers parted at multi places in the back to the shipping doors for storage. We had one right in sight of the van in which we did not move. All trys to conceal it did not work, so I rolled the dice that they were not looking for it, so it was right on the lower stabilizing crossbar next to the large leg coming down. I set it to go off by action and I had a 64GB card and on the highest rez to get a distant plate. I went home at 2:10PM. I came back in the morning and the other cat was gone. I was happy as heck, I got them. I pulled the card and to my horror the card was filled at 12:40AM. Darn (&%#@!) I guess I don't have them, I thought. I was sure they would park in the business next us and walk in to get the cat later in the morning.
So I started looking from 7:00PM and on. Nothing. I was so pissed, I did 10 shots per "trip" and not 5. I might of had them then. It took me 1.2 hours to go through the first run. A guy at work said load the first one and do an arrow forward fast and speed watch it from the start it should take 30 mins doing it that way. So it worked as he stated so I started going through it with almost zero hope. BOOM, 15-20 mins after I left work the day before they HIT just after a shift change. We got the car, Saturn Vue SUV black, we got the plate with a letter that could be either or. A guy ran the plates on a site he knew posts the year and description of the car. It came up 2010 Black Saturn Vue. A guy at work use to own one and said that looks like that year. by the rear lights. We got a semi clear profile of the guy getting out or in the car and one looking front shot looking at our employee door. We got him lying down next to the car, but not under it and what appeared to be a grinder next to the rim. This guy was SO SO SO SO defining of a looking guy. Odd looking enough to not be mistaken for anyone else. Big browses, cantilevered forehead, ect.... A Spaniard Arnold Schwarzenegger, but more defining and uglier.
We got the plate and it matchs the database that this guy at work knows it good and the plate matchs the car. I called back the cop and he said we have good photos and we have 2 choices of plate #s and from a guy at works research states it is the same make and color of car. I brought the photos over to the police station and we figured the could track them down while they still have the cats possibly and they could match up the cuts. I called my brother in law, a retired lieutenant of a local police dept and he said that guy can't be mistakes for anybody but him, but "IT WILL GET BURIED IN INVESTIGATIONS and go no where". Trust me. I called the police dept two days later and talked to "investigations" and they said "the plates were stolen, case closed" thank you goodbye. I said OH the plates that matched the car year and color on the first hit of our research?, Sorry, case closed, goodbye, CLICK. I also found out that week a heating and large heating and A/C company's trucks got hit to a tune of 12 trucks, said to be $47,000 worth of cats by their insurance we later were told. ALL the cats gone in this municipality They could of done so much more for this problem, but they just don't give a rats......
Yet this police force will do 9 units = 9 squad car speed traps on a industrial park back road 3 times a summer that is set at 30 mph where the speed SHOULD be and is conducive to be 45 mph and most do at least that. This seems to also include a SGT. too to over see. Squads cars all lined up after the corner after they lazer you and you come around the bend. Always a blud bath. You see at least 6 cars at all times getting tickets on an assembly line. And they can't try to catch and roll the buyer of these cats.
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