Thieves stealing Hybrid Batteries in SF !!?

no worries of electrical shock by cutting wires like that?

 

Unbelievable. I heard rumors about this. But this is the first verified one I've seen.

This will be expensive to replaced since it will need
A new body harness
A new HV harness
The owner will not have a core to turn in when purchasing a replacement battery pack. I've seen core fees as much as $1,250.

Wow.

 

That's the opposite of Luscious

 

simply amazing! I would guess no more than 2 minutes with power tools......this might be the thing of the future as more batteries fail and demand increases

 

sad thing is nobody would think anything is wrong, like the car owner getting something out of his trunk. unless there is a broken window, someone working out of the trunk area won't really cause suspicion

if this keeps up, look forward to higher insurance premiums on the hybrid cars.

 

"if this keeps up, look forward to higher insurance premiums on the hybrid cars."

Wonder how insurance will handle?...

There was a post here last Feb or March where a Prius had lost it's battery in this exact fashion. Location was either just outside of SF or Sacramento, don't recall exactly. Car was parked at a bike trail or nature trail trail head or something of the like. Wouldn't be surprised if it was the same thief/thieves.

The world we live in.

 

i remember that. i don't think it has become commonplace.

 

i remember when platinum was more expensive than now, thieves would cut cat converters from under the cars. i also heard about thefts of airbags. crazy. you would think it would be easier to steal the whole car and strip it in some private location?

 

See also: post #11 of Battery security
and
Prius Batteries Stolen in Downtown Sacramento

 

Does the battery case have the VIN etched into it?

 

I would assume it would come under Comprehensive coverage, since it is not associated with a Collision. Then you have your deductible to pay.

 

Hmmm...I wonder if people are starting to scam the insurance companies by having their cars broken into and the failing battery "stolen"?

$500 deductible vs. $2500 battery...nah....people wouldn't do that, would they?

 

Shh....let's not promote that reality too much.

I want every auto thief in the world thinking trying to remove The Hybrid battery is a high voltage/high risk situation.

 

I don't think that etching the VIN into the battery pack would deter thieves in the least.
Just a guess, but you can't see the battery pack when it's installed and this is a targeted theft from somebody looking for a specific battery - meaning they don't care if it has a VIN, political sticker, or a radiological warning placard on the battery pack.

I'm also not thinking that this will drive up insurance rates on hybrids. They're not stolen nearly as often as other cars (car thieves prefer flashier cars) so this will offset additional risks.
Battery theft is still a boutique crime. The only reason we're talking about it (for now) is that it's a rarity.

As far as the electrical hazard, I'm sure that somebody will injure themselves eventually but anybody with the mechanical aptitude to remove a battery pack would be bright enough to know how to cut the wires to minimize any arc-welding. It's not rocket science.

The real problem will be when the repair costs ($7000 quoted in the video) would be enough to make the insurance company total the vehicle.


Interesting problem if you live in a high crime area I guess.

 

Why did he have to cut the hv harness and body harness? Those all disconnect from the battery. It pisses me off that these ignorant people growing up in society steal from people who work hard for what they own. Toyota should leave the voltage live so they get fried when doing this!

 

thieves just aren't as polite as they used to be.