Maybe engrave or etch the VIN visibly and in large font on the cat housing. Who would want to steal it?
My catalytic converter was stolen
- Thread starter mclasser
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They'll still steal it. A "reputable" scrap yard may come across it later (and notify the police) but it's probably too late by then as most people may have already gotten theirs replaced.
Get some 1/2 inch hardened steel rod and ask your local muffler shop to weld it onto the pipes leading to & from your cat(s). Should only be a few hundred dollars at most. Make sure they position the rod right up against the main cat chamber. This stuff is very hard to cut with handheld saws and grinders, and will destroy several blades/discs in the process. And if there are 2 or 3 of these welded around the pipes, they probably will move on to another victim.
Seen lots of home security camera clips showing the theives bring a small car jack, jamb it under the rocker panel and jack the car up in 5 seconds high enough to cut off the catalytic converter. Doesn't really slow them down much at all.
They will probably be stealing the whole battery pack for cash instead.
Then those police should sting 'em, shut them down and throw them in jail. Crime doesn't stop unless you get really tough on crime.A local TV news had a story about these thefts and quoted someone from the police who said (I'm paraphrasing) "the reputable scrap yards aren't buying these", there are unreputable ones buying them. Which means the police know who these unreputable places are....
In a lot of places they let them out with no cash bail, that has to stop. What I don't understand is why not make it a felony because they just made the car a gross polluter and no longer EPA compliant, if a garage does that and they get worse than screwed.
This Cat theft situation is a bummer. I've decided to forgo $2-400 for a protection plate thing... Just have $500 in reserve for the ins. co-pay if if happens... Then I will likely be inclined to go with an aftermarket exhaust with no secondary CATs for less $.
2nd option is true off-road skid plate on my Tacoma... Thats close to a bill for the full set... And a not significant amount of additional weight. Maybe half that if I figure out a way to just do the back 2/3 (Tacomas are usually mounted in a daisy chain front to back)
On a lighter note: play stupid games; win stupid prizes. I guess the perpetrators in these events are willing to accept the risks that go along with it. Thief Accidentally Kills Himself While Stealing Catalytic Converter …
2nd option is true off-road skid plate on my Tacoma... Thats close to a bill for the full set... And a not significant amount of additional weight. Maybe half that if I figure out a way to just do the back 2/3 (Tacomas are usually mounted in a daisy chain front to back)
On a lighter note: play stupid games; win stupid prizes. I guess the perpetrators in these events are willing to accept the risks that go along with it. Thief Accidentally Kills Himself While Stealing Catalytic Converter …
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Logistically, that would be much more difficult, those battery packs are VERY heavy, and there are a lot of fasteners holding them in.Will we see battery pack theft in future?
Maybe not the battery per say, but I could see a new form of chop shop for parts/batteries.Will we see battery pack theft in future?
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There was just an article in the local paper about that. Trying to toughen the laws about selling converters but that won't stop them from selling them out of state.
www.bostonglobe.com
The strange Mass. crime wave over catalytic converters and the bill aiming to curb theft - The Boston Globe
With these car parts being stolen at an alarming rate, state lawmakers are pushing a bill to try to thwart the theft of catalytic converters.
www.bostonglobe.com
Laws are for people like us that are law ABIDING .Thieves could careless about any laws .Wont stop anything as long as there is big $$$ to be had.There was just an article in the local paper about that. Trying to toughen the laws about selling converters but that won't stop them from selling them out of state.
The strange Mass. crime wave over catalytic converters and the bill aiming to curb theft - The Boston Globe
With these car parts being stolen at an alarming rate, state lawmakers are pushing a bill to try to thwart the theft of catalytic converters.
Most Lowe's have cameras that are recording but no security guard. The Lowe's associates are told to politely ask to see the sales slip as maybe a security tag was not properly removed. But no more than that.
In that case they'll just take the motor and/or batteries.
I tried to sell a couple of cats I replaced a couple years ago. Could not find a buyer . Ended up putting them in the trash can. Had another a few months ago..same thing...threw them away.
All the Lowes around here and at Home Depot as well have all the power tools locked up in cages. You have to get a attendant to assist you.
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Probably just steal the car at that point.
For choppin' and parting out since Tesla won't sell ya parts, lol.
You've got to take them to Nevada or something.
IIRC the Accord 98-02 cat is worth $600+ and this price is 2+ years old.
If your state will let you, put an aftermarket universal one in. $50-something bucks on ebay. They do pass the OBD check, at least for a while. Know with that cheapie down there any future thief will get maybe $5 worth of metal.
There's apparently an organized crime syndicate buying these by the connex box full and melting them down in some 3rd world country.
That I believe. I have seen several news articles where the police have busted storage units with 100's of cats in them.
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