catalytic converter thefts

[rockclmbr]

I didn't believe it until I saw my two buddies standing outside of work today in Sunnyvale with their cats missing from their 4-Runners!

In the middle of the afternoon, theses guys are hitting up the parking lots facing the office windows!

Time to leave the dog in the car to protect the cat

 

[ArmyFJ]

leave the dog in the car to protect the cat

You are so fired.

 

[FirstToy]

Mannnnn, I really like my HannaQuality Sliders.

They do basically makes it a non-issue

 

[CodyRx7]

Mine should be safe...

A girl I know in Flagstaff just had the cat stolen off her Toyota pickup.

Hopefully they don't steal my custom exhaust no-rattle stick though...

 

[NoMoreFires!]

The factory cats are the only ones really worth any money, the bigger the better, I had an 07 Camry 4cyl in here last week whos factory cat was 2.5 foot long, I bet once the tweakers find out about those there gone quick!, When I managed the Honda shop in town we had a guy that would come around and pay our techs for old cats, usually 50-150 per cat cash money, till Honda caught on, now they require all cats be sent back to the factory. Aftermarket cats are worthless to cat thieves, they are freer flowing because they have less metal in them so if you really want a high flow cat just ask for your old ones back and it will almost pay for itself after you take them to the scrap man.

 

[NLXTACY]

So my friend's Taco was just hit in the Northrdige Mall during lunch time. He was one of four trucks hit. All right next to each other.

 

[ArmyFJ]

Wondering if anyone with a car alarm has been hit. I would think that it would not be that effective of a deterrent / warning because the exhaust is "floating". Anyone? I have a CompustarPro set up that was going off when the wind would blow it...its turned down now, but then I think the vibration that would set it off for a saw on a cat, would be about the same as a light wind or brush up.

 

[PACNW96]

Theives think of everything. In Washington we had issues with gas thefts.

Two friends of mine have had their gas tanks completely drained by theives drilling a hole in the bottom of the gas tank. My friend returned to his recently filled up Dodge Ram and got maybe a quarter mile till it died....

 

[NLXTACY]

Yes he has an alarm. Factory alarm.

 

[HomersCanyonero]

Looking at the cat protection pictures, can the thiefs just saw both ends that are outside the cat protectors and slide the cut cats off?

Just wondering if the openings on either side of the cat protection are big enough to slide the cut cats thru...

 

[AppleTech]

For 2 cats off FZ 80s about $140-$200.

You seem to know much about this topic... wink wink

Does anyone know of a good place to take and sell for top dollar? I have a parts Volvo going to a scrap yard and I wanna make every penny off it.

Thanks,
Phil

 

[NLXTACY]

Total cost for parts and labor on friend's Taco was just over $1000

 

[NLXTACY]

He's an E.E. so he is thinking about rigging an exploding dye pack under the truck using the exhaust system as the ground. Ground cut... boom, plat! Time to Google "exploding dye packs"

 

[NLXTACY]

Interesting:
American Welding, Inc.

 

[FirstToy]

Interesting:
American Welding, Inc.

that might be enough of a deterrent but from what I see, you only have to cut 2 retaining cables and you can still pull the whole cat out?
anything is better than nothing though

 

[MoGas]

Mannnnn, I really like my HannaQuality Sliders.

Yup...