Catalytic converter theft

[Tom Dunlap]

There is an article about the theft of cat cons. Has anyone else been robbed?

California family members plead guilty to role in $600m catalytic converter ring

Brothers Tou Sue Vang, 32, Andrew Vang, 28, and mother Monica Moua, 58, accused of being part of ‘national network of thieves, dealers, and processors’

www.theguardian.com

My camper is built from a uhaul-type cutaway box truck. Ford E350 chassis. A couple of years ago in the winter some thief snipped the cat con out. The repair was pretty simple. I bought a piece of straight pipe and a couple of clamps. The camper is tall enough that I could just about sit up straight to repair. It cost me about $30 for parts.

After doing the repair I looked at the cost of a generic replacement as well as some security measures

Generic replacement $270...direct replacement $550 up.
There are alarms for around $100 and guards/shields starting at just under $200

Has anyone else gotten ripped off?

What did you do for repair?

Are there cat cons on chippers and machinery?

 

[Serf Life]

My mom’s car had it cut out at a hotel parking lot in Sacramento this summer. No fun.

 

[Njdelaney]

A few years back I had mine stolen off my 05 CRV in Chicago. It appeared to have been done with a cordless recip saw. Stealership wanted $3500 to replace the cat only. Luckily at that time I had full coverage but I found a different shop on principle.

 

[data farm 26]

We got both of ours cut off the truck. One week apart cost us like 3,000 bucks. I heard and read that you can wrap aircraft cable around the exhaust it's really hard to cut through I guess. Now we park inside of a secured facility.

 

[Pinhead Squirrel]

Yeah my truck cat was stolen . Those math crack addicts does that around here.

 

[Matias]

The aircraft cable systems have been the most effective solutions that I have seen. I have been lucky enough not to know this misfortune, but I have read and watched a lot about it. You want the cables tight enough that they can't push them aside, but loose enough that they can't get enough tension in them to be cuttable.

 

[southsoundtree]

A pry bar/ pipe will add tension quickly and easily.

A good deterrent, for sure.

 

[Matias]

A pry bar/ pipe will add tension quickly and easily.

A good deterrent, for sure.

I'm told that method doesn't do enough for the reciprocating saw, which is the weapon of choice for most of these guys, I assume that the attachment point for any security system will be the weakest link. That's where I would plan to attack. But I am talking straight outta my ass here, as I have no experience with any of this beyond some videos online.

 

[27RMT0N]

I mean, it's honestly just about making it harder to steal from your car than the next car down the street, being less of an easy target. Unfortunately a lot of these people will vandalize your car if they can't steal what they want from it...

 

[chris_girard]

Just had mine stolen this year from my mechanics shop. He says that his cameras didn't pick up the thieves.

Cost me $900 to replace

 

[Pinhead Squirrel]

Just had mine stolen this year from my mechanics shop. He says that his cameras didn't pick up the thieves.

Cost me $900 to replace

Cop didn't do nothing on m case . They just told me that they gonna beef up security around my area. In different day, on a way coming back to my place they stopped me for nothing instead... LoL

As for the cats. Pipe boys quoted me I can put aftermarket cats for cheaper . Just to pass the smog checks and it has about 2 years of longevity period.
Luckily, I don't really use my truck so I just put streight pipes on it and weld it with mig wire feed . Pretty easy

But pipe boys ( muffler shop) said if thieves see streight pipes or aftermarket cats they won't even bother . So my best bet for it is if you have brand new or somewhat good used car it's just better switch them to streight or aftermarket cats.
I did see all the theft protection gizmos. But in my honest opinions, it's can be get stolen all of them during you are in deep sleep .

Or replace under body plastic shrouds to thin sheet metal and weld them directly on chassis. To cut the sheet metal it's makes quite a loud noise with sawsall and it's also hard to get to.

Also police told me to put your name , driver license numbers pounded on to cats body would help to return your cats to you in case they got busted .

 

[southsoundtree]

I don't think I'd like to give the theives my name and DL#

 

[Njdelaney]

Yeah that may be in the top 5 dumbest things I've ever heard a cop say.

 

[Pinhead Squirrel]

Yeah that may be in the top 5 dumbest things I've ever heard a cop say.

Yeah that's what I thought too. But that's LAPD for you. LoL they says when thieves get busted on a street and all the cats in a car goes simply evidence room and would never returns to the owners since there is no way to tell who's belongs to . I asked them how about Vin #s ? But they insists name & license #s are better than vin #s they says.