Catalytic converter theft

Pythagorean

Catalytic converter theft seems to be an increasing problem. There was a piece on Liveline today about it. It appears that the Toyota Prius is a particular target. The thieves get under the car with a battery powered angle grinder, and cut the converter off in under a minute. They contain valuable metals, I think, Platinum, and maybe Palladium, hence have a high scrap value. So if your car sounds unexpectedly noisy, check underneath. They cost over €1000 to replace.

Atlantic Dawn

How much scrap value would they get?

Still waters

cats sell for between 40 to 200 euro depending on the type

Atlantic Dawn

That's a lot of effort and risk for little reward, they must be desperados.

aaakev

This has been a problem for years. We were selling 2 a week at one stage a few years ago and the whole system cost over 4k! Some vehicles are designed in a way to give easy access for shorter down time in the workshop, unfortunately that can be a help to the scum.... quite often they don't even need a cutting tool and make little or no noise

A couple of lads doing 10 a week is a good earner.

If your worried get a catloc

elperello

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Mercedes-Sprinter-Armaplate-ArmaCat-Catalytic-Converter-Catlock-Stops-Theft/113308345353?hash=item1a61b42409:g:8scAAOSwGotWqf68:rk:2:pf:0

This type of thing.

I was wondering would it be practical to make a homemade version along the lines of a sump guard on a rally car?

aaakev

Yeah thats the one. They have snap off bolts so need cutting off if you ever need to remove the exhaust. They force them to just move on to the next vehicle without one

selectamatic

Still waters wrote: »

cats sell for between 40 to 200 euro depending on the type

Some are worth a nice bit more than 200.

I'd imagine the prius one must be worth a fair bit since they're really attracting attention.

The common as muck 1.9tdi cat is worth €100-150

elperello

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuuhgfIQ93E

Man at work stealing a Prius CC.

Any merit in my homemade deterrent idea?

TallGlass

Still waters wrote: »

cats sell for between 40 to 200 euro depending on the type

I guess the damage these idiots cause in the process of forcefully removing the cat, is only adding to the bill.

punisher5112

Certain ethnic minorities at this for years.

They were targeting vans and 4x4 mostly as they are in large quite tubby so would have a hard time fitting under the smaller cars.

That and it was just more room under there which means much quicker exit too.

AudiAvant

selectamatic wrote: »

Some are worth a nice bit more than 200.

I'd imagine the prius one must be worth a fair bit since they're really attracting attention.

The common as muck 1.9tdi cat is worth €100-150

I have 2 TDI cats from cars I broke
We're would I get that sort of money for them?
Cheers

Phileas Frog

Find your nearest Cultural Center?

EdgeCase

Whoever's accepting them as scrap needs to be gone after hard. It's the same with copper theft. They need to cut off the market.

selectamatic

AudiAvant wrote: »

I have 2 TDI cats from cars I broke
We're would I get that sort of money for them?
Cheers

Clearway in sligo harbour

punisher5112

EdgeCase wrote: »

Whoever's accepting them as scrap needs to be gone after hard. It's the same with copper theft. They need to cut off the market.

Exactly this, there must be a paper trail and cut out cash in this business.

Gardai have the power but aren't using it.

zilog_jones

The 2nd generation Prius (2003-2009) seems to be a particularly popular target as the cat can be easily accessed and has good scrap/resale value. I don't believe the newer ones are being targeted, as I suspect the exhaust heat recovery system may be in the way of the cat (Gen 2 doesn't have this).

It's a common issue in California and the UK too. Some suggest either etching the reg or VIN onto the cat as a deterrent (or security devices like mentioned above), though I'm not sure how effective that is.

aaakev

Catloc are a great deterrent as they need time, tools and to make noise to remove them so they won't risk it usually

lawred2

elperello wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuuhgfIQ93E

Man at work stealing a Prius CC.

Any merit in my homemade deterrent idea?

Brazen out

EdgeCase

It's a shame that Toyota didn't somehow manage to route a high voltage cable through the middle of it.

Del2005

punisher5112 wrote: »

Exactly this, there must be a paper trail and cut out cash in this business.

Gardai have the power but aren't using it.

What power have the Gardai to make scrap dealers require photo ID when buying? And even if they do catch them all that will happen is a day in court for the Garda and the person will still be stealing while on bail and as soon as they get out of prison, if they even end up there.

Our justice system is flawed and corrupt, solicitors and barristers make good money doing free legal aid cases so what's the incentive for reforming offenders, and it won't be fixed from the inside and our politicians don't have the guts to fix it.

elperello

aaakev wrote: »

Catloc are a great deterrent as they need time, tools and to make noise to remove them so they won't risk it usually

I agree.
A physical barrier will deter them and they will move on to somebody else's car.
Anything that the legal system can do to disrupt the market for stolen CCs should be done also.

corks finest

punisher5112 wrote: »

EdgeCase wrote: »

Whoever's accepting them as scrap needs to be gone after hard. It's the same with copper theft. They need to cut off the market.

Exactly this, there must be a paper trail and cut out cash in this business.

Gardai have the power but aren't using it.

Won't stop it gardai can't be bothered, mostly e Europeans/ and our own ethnic minority whos only 'travelling' is from rob to rob

punisher5112

Del2005 wrote: »

What power have the Gardai to make scrap dealers require photo ID when buying? And even if they do catch them all that will happen is a day in court for the Garda and the person will still be stealing while on bail and as soon as they get out of prison, if they even end up there.

Our justice system is flawed and corrupt, solicitors and barristers make good money doing free legal aid cases so what's the incentive for reforming offenders, and it won't be fixed from the inside and our politicians don't have the guts to fix it.

Where did I say they did.

I was stating the obvious they have the power to catch them and most likely even know who is at it.

We need what I said in the scrap trade these changes could be brought in.

orm0nd

EdgeCase wrote: »

It's a shame that Toyota didn't somehow manage to route a high voltage cable through the middle of it.

a pity the ram didnt fail on the jack and squash the ba$%^"

darragh o meara

They don’t even do it under the cover of darkness in some places. Cheeky gits.

https://youtu.be/32a2LL38BBk

AudiAvant

selectamatic wrote: »

Clearway in sligo harbour

You know anywhere around Dublin? Thanks

Still waters

AudiAvant wrote: »

You know anywhere around Dublin? Thanks

Hammond lane should buy them off you

Crock Rock

This is why I voted for Peter Casey.

Pythagorean

punisher5112 wrote: »

Exactly this, there must be a paper trail and cut out cash in this business.

Gardai have the power but aren't using it.

It's possibly eastern Europeans robbing them, so maybe they get sold to some scrap dealer over there, a Transit load of scrap would probably make the trip worthwhile.

Still waters

Pythagorean wrote: »

It's possibly eastern Europeans robbing them, so maybe they get sold to some scrap dealer over there, a Transit load of scrap would probably make the trip worthwhile.

I've seen a cubic metre container of cats sell for 16 thousand euro cash, so well worth their while and the risk

jochenstacker

Still waters wrote: »

I've seen a cubic metre container of cats sell for 16 thousand euro cash, so well worth their while and the risk

I had this open in another tab and had forgotten what thread this was. Had to think about that for a while...

Pkiernan

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

That's a lot of effort and risk for little reward, they must be desperados.

No risk when there's no punishment

jon1981

This is now a thing? Anyone know if this a threat for older cars only as the article seems to imply?


https://www.rte.ie/news/connacht/2019/0612/1054992-catalytic-coverter-thefts/

bazz26

It's not new though it's probably only been happening over here recently with the increased popularity in hybrid cars.

pinktoe

Hybrids are the most expensive to replace and seem to be targeted most so not sure if age matters.

biko

It has been going on for years, here and UK.
Probably a mix of local talent and gangs from eastern Europe.

Here is an article from 2013

Another from 2013

KaneToad

As long as the price for the precious metals within them remains at all time highs, these thefts will continue to happen...

Atlantic Dawn

I always hope one gets caught by the wrong owner and has their hand chopped off at the wrist.

pablo128

I work for a business which periodically has an amount of catalytic convertors for scrap. The last time we brought them to be weighed in, we were offered a euro each for them. ( Some were literally brand new.) We throw them in with general scrap metal now.

I have heard of Eastern European gutting the cats here and taking whatever is worth money from the inside. They then fill a suitcase and bring it to Eastern Europe. I assume they get a few quid over there.

tuxy

pablo128 wrote: »

I work for a business which periodically has an amount of catalytic convertors for scrap. The last time we brought them to be weighed in, we were offered a euro each for them. ( Some were literally brand new.) We throw them in with general scrap metal now.

I have heard of Eastern European gutting the cats here and taking whatever is worth money from the inside. They then fill a suitcase and bring it to Eastern Europe. I assume they get a few quid over there.

Are these the same ones that eat our swans?

Why is platinum worth so much more in Eastern Europe and why do they have to fill a suitcase and not just use a regualr shipping company?

colm_mcm

tuxy wrote: »

Are these the same ones that eat our swans?

Why is platinum worth so much more in Eastern Europe and why do they have to fill a suitcase and not just use a regualr shipping company?

It’s more that recyclers purposely aren’t enabling the thieves and aren’t paying market rate.

Seweryn

tuxy wrote: »

Are these the same ones that eat our swans?

Why is platinum worth so much more in Eastern Europe and why do they have to fill a suitcase and not just use a regualr shipping company?

You need to define Easter Europe first.

tuxy

Seweryn wrote: »

You need to define Easter Europe first.

The part of Europe that's perpetually Easter.

zilog_jones

The Gen 2 Prius (2003-2009) has been a common target for cat theft worldwide due to easy access and the apparent quality of the materials.

As the article says, newer models (Gen 3 from mid 2009 onwards) do not have an easily removable catalytic converter. It's an issue with a specific model of car, not hybrids in general. SUVs and other vehicles with higher ride heights are common targets too.

glomar

happening out my place of work recently 1 guy got hit twice in a month insurance refusing too cover the 2nd replacement . 2008 prius i think . but it was hybrids that are being targeted 8 in one day at one point

Tacitus Kilgore

Happened a lads late 90s mitsubishi l200 near me last night.. odd I thought but a cat is a cat i guess

galwaytt

Epidemic in Clare/Galway for Gen 2 Priuseseseses

Atlantic Dawn

You can buy locking kits online, I'd say worth getting if you have a Prius gen 2 especially.

i57dwun4yb1pt8

galwaytt wrote: »

Epidemic in Clare/Galway for Gen 2 Priuseseseses

lots of culture around there though isn't there ?

homer90

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wj3TZLiier4

Keep an eye out boss...