Catalytic converter theft

This also...

Security team.png
 
  • Like
Reactions: Blondie70, SPECWAR, tr21triton and 1 other person
As a legal concealed carry cardholder for many years, and having taken a dozen gun safety and shooting legality courses, this talk about shooting someone who is trying to steal your catalytic converter (or your vehicle, for that matter) is blustery horseshit. You shoot or kill a thief who is not inside your house or directly threatening your (or someone else's) life, not only are YOU going to jail, you're also going to be entertaining a lovely civil lawsuit, so let's put THAT rocket back into your pocket straight away. I'll never forget what one of the gun attorneys that gave a talk in one of our concealed carry classes said: "Behind every bullet is a lawyer" - and that goes for most self-defense and even home break-ins as well...

With regards to protecting your catalytic converter(s) from theft, here's a pretty good idea - a whole lot cheaper than a lawyer:
https://catclamp.com/product/catclamp-standard-security-kit/
 
  • Like
Reactions: PNW_LJ, Sancho, Hokahay and 1 other person
TexasTJ2004 said:
Unfortunately it is illegal in US.
Different mechanism that does not involve explosives, would be collapsible suspension, that completely collapses when Cats removed. This would require to jack up the Jeep every time exhaust work is done, and it will reduce the population of cat converters thieves drastically.
Click to expand...

So is theft
 
  • Like
Reactions: Blondie70
TheBoogieman said:
Not in Florida under the "stand your ground" law. Ask @Zorba. 🤫
Click to expand...

I might be an immigrant in US with just 8 years of life experience living here, but I already got how the law enforcement works here:
If a thief steals your catalytic converter, and goes away unscratched, law enforcement will catch him with 0.01% probability.
If you build a booby trap with some kind of an IED on your cat converter so the thief is injured or dead as a result of his attempted theft, you go to jail with 99.9% probability. The government will charge with usage of weapons of mass destruction and will put you to jail for life.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BlueC and txbemis69
rhanna said:
Make your catalytic converter standout.

Purchase some high-temperature (1,300 to 2,000 0F), automotive exhaust spray paint in a bright color, and spray a generous amount onto the converter.

By adding bright paint, you can create a visible deterrent to alert thieves to move on.

This paint also signals law enforcement and recyclers to look deeper for serial numbers or identification marks.
Click to expand...

I masked off an area & sprayed it with some sleet orange Hugh temperature header paint & then engraved my license number into it. ‘Makes it easy to identify.

E30E6D47-3573-4547-8948-B14920A6B742.jpeg
 
TexasTJ2004 said:
I might be an immigrant in US with just 8 years of life experience living here, but I already got how the law enforcement works here:
If a thief steals your catalytic converter, and goes away unscratched, law enforcement will catch him with 0.01% probability.
If you build a booby trap with some kind of an IED on your cat converter so the thief is injured or dead as a result of his attempted theft, you go to jail with 99.9% probability. The government will charge with usage of weapons of mass destruction and will put you to jail for life.
Click to expand...

sad but true.
 
CAT theft is a huge and growing problem in CA. This just happened to my wife's Honda while parked in her company's parking lot, during the daytime.

2006 Accord.jpg


Was quoted $4800 for all the pieces and labor. LEO told me even if they catch them red-handed, they only stay in jail for 2 days max, then back out they go. If not already, CAT theft should be a felony but doubt that would even deter them.

A co-worker showed me his security system video of a team working his neighborhood. Once they grabbed a CAT (took less than a minute) they raised the flag on the mailbox as if to alert the team this one was already done!

Rhodium is the expensive component, google says $7000 per ounce. Recently, a few containers full of CATs heading for China were found in the port of Oakland. The market is there and the buyers (like maybe Toyota and Honda?) are desperate to keep making new cars.

Our Jeeps don't seem to be at the top of the target list, but this really has me worried and depressed.
 
  • Angry
  • Like
  • Sad
Reactions: tr21triton, BlueC and Kenneth G Zinis
Jeepin' Geo said:
CAT theft is a huge and growing problem in CA. This just happened to my wife's Honda while parked in her company's parking lot, during the daytime.

View attachment 427922

Was quoted $4800 for all the pieces and labor. LEO told me even if they catch them red-handed, they only stay in jail for 2 days max, then back out they go. If not already, CAT theft should be a felony but doubt that would even deter them.

A co-worker showed me his security system video of a team working his neighborhood. Once they grabbed a CAT (took less than a minute) they raised the flag on the mailbox as if to alert the team this one was already done!

Rhodium is the expensive component, google says $7000 per ounce. Recently, a few containers full of CATs heading for China were found in the port of Oakland. The market is there and the buyers (like maybe Toyota and Honda?) are desperate to keep making new cars.

Our Jeeps don't seem to be at the top of the target list, but this really has me worried and depressed.
Click to expand...

Wicked. Very clean cuts
 
  • Like
Reactions: tworley
If I were back in CA, I’d run a straight pipe as my daily set-up and only install the third cat for inspections.
 
Top Bottom
Back