SOT: Just had my catalytic converter liberated from my 4X4 Tacoma...., Mother Effers! Options

[ClayPerrine]

Seems like the scrap dealers should be required to get information about the sellers in these cases.

The company I work for now is a metals company, with recycling yards around the country. We have a new government requirement to get certain data from each person who sells scrap metal to one of our yards. This includes, in most states, Name, address, scan of drivers license, picture of license plate, pictures of all the scrap purchased, picture of vehicle, and in some cases, fingerprints. The company is spending millions to upgrade equipment and processes to meet the new standards. All info gets uploaded to a national database so the cops can track a thief from the material he sells.


Platinum and Palladium (catalytic converter contents) prices are through the roof right now. So is copper, and the thieves are targeting both new construction and foreclosures for copper "salvage". We even had one moron who was stealing copper from active power substations. He would drive a stake int the ground and throw a steel cable over the wires, then when the limiters kicked in, he would "salvage" the copper. Missed one wire on a high tension lead one night. Now he is extra crispy.

Thieves are lowlife.... no matter what they steal.

[Brian Mifsud]

The Industrial Electrical Contractor I've been using told me that he had a break in at one of the other sites he was doing a job last summer. It was a two story Industrial building of several Suites. The power rooms for each suite were all on the bottom floor, one side by side. Some thieves broke the lock, stole his rollaways and tools, then proceeded to cut live 460VAC cables for the copper. They then broke down the sheetrock seperating the power rooms, and cut out all the newly installed copper in each room stripping the place completely bare.

People are also stealing bronze plumbing fittings from sprinkler systems in public parks here, usually where the flow-back preventers are situated in plain view above ground.

The rules have changed. Things you never thought about are all fair game.

What next, roads dug up for the Asphalt?

[Dr. Roger]

i saw a lady shoveling city of berkeley mulch, from the frontage road parkway, into the back of her truck the other day. Unbelievable.

[eg914]

We design HVAC systems. At one of the school districts we have done work for we were required to call for cages over the roof mounted equipment, and sheet metal covers over exposed refrigerant piping. This was to keep self appointed salvagers from taking the refrigerant and the copper piping. It seems that nothing is off limits when $ call.

[Andyrew]

Seriously how much money are they getting from Cats?
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.a...mp;autoview=sku

and

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Parts-Acces...0247649462&

???

[Wanna9146]

Seriously how much money are they getting from Cats?

A hit of crack is only twenty bucks...

[Dr. Roger]

my toyota serviceman just told me this afternoon. up to $50 per. cat.

my truck now runs quiet as ever but i couldn't bring myself to spend the night over at her place... i wouldn't be able to sleep.

i do have some scrap sheet metal which is going to be spot welded along the full length of the exhaust system this week. total+ $2,100.00 for a $50 thief profit.

[rfuerst911sc]

A friend of mine got hit a few weeks ago at a park and ride. His Toyota Tacoma and a Nissan Titan both had the cats cutoff while they were at work. This happened during daylight hours near a busy highway.

[SLITS]

Seriously how much money are they getting from Cats?
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.a...mp;autoview=sku

and

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Parts-Acces...0247649462&

???

What you linked to are the cheapest catalytics you can buy new for replacement. They are designed to last about 1 year. In the scrap market, they have a value of about $20.00 and are known as "aftermarket".

Now, you take one from a Honda, Toyota, etc .... the smallest one is worth about $150 in the scrap market. A large Mercedes (rated in 4 lb & 5 lb models) are worth about $350 - $400. A GM converter can be worth upwards of $175.

When I buy a load of mixed catalytics, approximately 2500 - 3000 pieces, the scrap total I pay is generally in the $250,000 - $300,000 range.

So much for the $20 hit ...............

Oh and Dr. Roger ... if your serviceman is selling his cats @ $50 and they ain't aftermarket, I'll buy all he has. He's gettin cheated.

[Dr. Roger]

Hey Ron, thanks for your input here.

Do you think a steel plate, welded onto the cat, with personal info and a statement like, "THIS CAT STOLEN FROM ROGER AT 510-555-1212. CALL POLICE IMMEDIATELY" would deter thieves?


I'm still going to weld some oversize brush guards along the entire exhaust system to make it nearly impossible unless they've got a blow torch...

The new anti theft devices are already coming on the market.

http://www.catclamp.com/catclamp.asp

[SLITS]

Hey Ron, thanks for your input here.

Do you think a steel plate, welded onto the cat, with personal info and a statement like, "THIS CAT STOLEN FROM ROGER AT 510-555-1212. CALL POLICE IMMEDIATELY" would deter thieves?


I'm still going to weld some oversize brush guards along the entire exhaust system to make it nearly impossible unless they've got a blow torch...

It might, but it would also throw a red flag on anyone buying the cat for scrap.

Even though the Blue Meanies are cracking down as much as they can, there are those who will purchase the stolen material. One of the major catalytic recertifyers had one of their store managers arrested and prosecuted in a sting operation after reports on the street surfaced that she was actively purchasing known stolen material.

[Chris Pincetich]

Dr. R - that sucks!
Another Toy 4x4 -cat happened on Liberty St in El Cerrito near my house.
Check this week's East Bay Express- there's a short crime update about a guy nabbed with 70 cats in a room on San Pablo Ave.
I always though those lowered trucks were stupid, maybe they are smarter than I thought. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[kpfoten]

Effers got me in Detroit (1998 4Runner Limited) on Feb 28, but what can you expect--it's DETROIT. I paid $1300 for the new exhaust, including O2 sensors at Midas.

Let us know how your armor works out..

Spent the night at the GF's house and parked right in front of her bedroom window.
Woke up the next day and saw the rear of my exhaust system hanging down.

I checked where they had cut the pipe and noticed that there were marks to indicate a hand held pipe cutter/tubing cutter was used. No sawzall. Very quiet. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

The local PD said there's been a rash of these. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chair.gif)

The tow truck driver told me he did a recent pick up of a woman's car at a BART station. Outer lot. It was quitting time and several people were walking out to their cars and one by one, cars were starting and loud exhaust sound came from several cars. The tow truck driver inspected these cars and found that the thieves would not touch the cars with heat shields attached to the pipes, only the easy targets with easily accessible exposed exhaust pipes.

So when I get my truck back I am welding up some sheet metal shielding to the exhaust system. Quazi brush guards/anti-theft devices which can't hurt. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

Insurance deductible: $100.

Quote from Toyota to replace exhaust system, 2-O2 sensors, associated emission control wiring: $2,000.00 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

Hey, it's just another excuse to drive Bebe! Like I need one. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif)

[Carlitos Way]

Same thing happened at our office. One of the girls had hers taken out of her Toyota 4Runner during business hours. Fairly busy commercial/light industrial complex, right accross from COSTCO!!!!

My 914 was parked just down a ways.. left untouched - for now!

[Dr. Roger]

My solution to this problem. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

I got a piece of scrap sheet metal and pieced together to fit nicely.
Then added additional high carbon steel (rebar) as a deterrent.
I stamped my phone number into the cat as well as a "911".
Painted red to be obvious of it's purpose.

I hope that the potential thief will see that they cannot cut the front of the cat and therefore cannot get away with it.

Only time will tell. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif)

[MartyYeoman]

Man, that is so ugly it's got to work!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[ruddyboys]

OK know were does it go after the scrap dealer buys them?

[Dr. Roger]

Man, that is so ugly it's got to work!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

I'm hoping it scares the thieves away!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/barf.gif)

[Dr. Roger]

It's a big difference from this....

Cat bling.

Can you hear it? "Steal me, steal me".

[BarberDave]

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)
Dr. Some low life relative of the guy who got your cat, actually stole the Copper

Down Spouts off a Local Church. Next will be the copper plumbing out of your

house while you sleep. Anyone know of any of these guys getting caught, and

prosecuted ,I'll bet a slap on the wrist if that! Dave (IMG:style_emoticons/default/slap.gif)