Cat burglar

[mar13]

Thieves Nationwide Are Slithering Under Cars, Swiping Catalytic Converters (Published 2021)

The pollution-control gadgets are full of precious metals like palladium, and prices are soaring as regulators try to tame emissions. Crooks with hacksaws have noticed.

www.google.com

I know a few people myself whom have been victims.

 

[begreen]

It's been happening locally too.

 

[ABMax24]

It's happened a lot here in the past, not as much lately though.

Here if you have a gas car you're safe, the crooks want the DPF filters off diesel vehicles as they contain more precious metals.

 

[MoDoug]

I was just reading this article last night. Sometimes I think these type of articles shouldn't be published, I never would have know about it otherwise, and I'm sure a lot of degenerates wouldn't either.

(broken link removed to https://autos.yahoo.com/catalytic-converter-thefts-rise-nationwide-201500016.html)

 

[EatenByLimestone]

We lost a truck tot earlier this year. It would have cost over 50% of the purchase price to fix the truck.

 

[vinny11950]

Last year, before the pandemic, I was thinking of getting a new catalyst for the Jeep. Back then the price for the CARB compliant model I was looking at was around $250. After reading the article, I go check the price again and it's close to $400.

I think I'll keep the old one for a little bit longer. Plus, it looks like crap - painted over a few times to keep the rust away, the heat shields held in place with wires - so maybe that will act like a camouflage .

But definitely an item I should have bought last year.

 

[mar13]

Bay Area police identify catalytic converter crime ring

More than 50 catalytic converters, $91,000 in cash, illegal weapons and drugs and stolen...

www.sfgate.com

Good to see one theft ring getting knocked down - at least for a while.

 

[tlc1976]

I turned in all mine about 10 years ago since I couldn’t pass up $100 apiece at the scrapyard. I had saved them in case I felt like welding on new flanges as the old ones rusted off. But I just ended up putting on universal stainless cats from eBay for less than $100 each. They’re still under $100. For newer cars or states with inspections maybe that won’t work, but it works for me and my 25+ year old cars. Anybody wants mine that’s all they’re gonna get, the hassle would be worse than the cost of replacing it.