Preventing Catalytic Converter theft

get a dog. the dog will hear and probably smell the thieves before they start working. if its barking doesn't scare them off, open the door and sic the dog on them, when they run away confiscate their tools. I think sending thieves to the hospital for stitches and a tetanus shot is a public service; sending them to the morgue would be even better. but since our govt is controlled by pansies we are no longer allowed to kill thieves even though they deserve it.

 

Found a couple of other options, neither of which look all that effective in the scheme of things.



Aluminum sheet on a gen2 : GetCatSecurity



Catalytic converter cage : 2004 - 2009 Toyota Prius Catalytic Converter Cages - auto parts - by owner - vehicle automotive sale

Not sure if either would be up to the task given the material or number of cuts required.

Would be great if they had videos of someone using the proper tools to remove each device, doubtful if it would take very long.

 

For this to work, you must be able to wake up, realize what is happening, and let the dog out before they can finish. Considering how quick they are, this will often be a challenge.

Has the U.S. pattern of these thefts yet spread much beyond LA and Sacramento?

In much of the U.S., but certainly not all (e.g. these California incidents), car owners still have an ability to order the thieves to stop. And then if/when the miscreants refuse and make threats, owners here have some additional flexibility to respond (varying considerably by area), if they so choose, than do owners in the entire UK and certain US urban areas. I believe this is one reason the still-fewer cat thefts in the U.S. are also more concentrated to night times, not the common daylight capers with numerous witnesses being recorded in the UK.

So I hope folks here will keep us updated on U.S. cat theft activity and patterns, especially if it increases or spreads. And possibly put more shame into official inaction and apathy than the UK community has so far managed.

 

OK here is the write up for the Steel Expanded Metal Sheet under carriage.

First buy Steel Expanded Metal Sheet at Home depot or metal scrap yard.
They usually come in 48"x120" sheet.
Here is the part list;
1. Steel Expanded Metal Sheet
2. 20x 3/4 inch self-drilling screws
3. 20x Fender Washer 3/16" x 1-1/4"
4. Tools Angle Grinder to cut Steel Metal Sheet
5. I used a Metal DC Wheel: 4" x 1/8" x 5/8"
6. 2x 1/2 inch bolts with nuts.




So looking at other designs I noticed other people cut out the oval or 1/2 circle by the engine bay.
If you take a cardboard by 60" x 40" should be large enough to make a template to transcribe to the Steel expanded metal sheet.
There are two floor rails under the car.
The width of the floor rails from driver side to Passenger side is 37" inches wide.
From engine bay side of the rail is 47" inches to the center body support beam.
I cut square Metal Sheet 37" x 47" I used a metal grinder because these are the tools I had available.
If you have metal cutter that tool can be used to cut the Metal Sheet as well.
The rails by the engine bay is curved by 2 1/2 inches long which I made sure to bend my metal sheet to follow the body line. I drilled holes in the floor rails with 1/8" drill bit every 5-8 inches apart. These are start hole to make it easier once I used the self tapping screws.
I attached the bolts, washer and nut to the center support beam at the back of the floor rails check diagram for notes.
The car should be on Jack stand to allow easier access to under the car.
A second hand is good thing to help hold up the Metal Sheet against the body as you start to drill in the tapping screws with washers. 10x screws on each side should be enough to hold the metal grate sheet.


Good Luck,

 

Very nice write up. The only issue I see is that the metal screen appears to be rusting already. Since you live where there is little rain and no salt on the roads people using this metal elsewhere might find it rusting a lot and quickly.

Looked up "expanded metal sheet" at site:homedepot.com found this:

Everbilt 24 in. x 3/4 in. x 24 in. Plain Expanded Metal Sheet-801427 - The Home Depot

which notes "not corrosion resistant". Perhaps better to use stainless steel, galvanized, or at least paint or coat the type of steel you employed before mounting it on the car. The first two options are likely going to be a lot more expensive than the third. Just hope the paint/coat lasts, because repainting that screen on the car would be a dreadful job.

 

Cat theft comes to the East Coast. I had mine sawed off in broad daylight while the car was in a private lot near Philadelphia. 3K to replace; insurance covered most of that. The dealership had a bunch of Prii in for the same thing over the past few weeks. This is insane.

 

After seeing about 19 cat thefts in the Portland area in the past six weeks we are installing the Cat Security shield from Cap City. That's just the ones we have seen at our shop, who knows how many in Portland all told.

Yes it's more spendy than some options here, and I am of the opinion that everything described in this thread will work. Thief looks under car sees anything that will slow them down or make them think they move on to the next one. In Portland it's probably 2 cars away.

We have been pleased with the fit and finish of the shield. Yesterday a client called, we replaced her cat due to theft in 2018 yesterday it got taken again. Had to do something besides hook up the SMRs to the cat and start killing the bastards (joke but a client was asking about doing it!)

It's pathetic that in our city there is no hope of anything happening to these thieves. At $600 a piece for a gen2 cat I figure maybe they get ten a night if they try? Hard to deter theft that lucrative. If a cop saw them doing it and booked them they would be out in 5 minutes anyway. You catch them in the act use some friends bear spray you get charged with assault. Sad state of affairs.

Something is better than nothing to stop this crap from happening to our clients cars.

I would also suggest the laws prohibiting sales of perfectly good used catalytic converters are stupid now that we have OBD2. But not gonna change that.....

For now we are going to do this, and again I think everything shown in this thread will deter theft, this is just our chosen method.

 

Was going to suggest this but you already did!

 

I have a gun. Everybody knows not to F$&k with my car.

 

Photo of douglasjre while his catalytic converter is being stolen
At least he is sitting on the right chair

 

Does everybody who might steal a cat know it is your car?

Are there ever times during the day or night when you are doing something else besides sitting next to your car with the gun?

 

An ergonomics engineer just did a sweep through the office?

 

That is why the American cat thieves tend to do it while you are asleep or away, not as brazenly as the UK thieves who have no compunctions about doing it in broad daylight in front of dozens of witnesses.

 

I have motion alarming cameras with night vision and large signs letting everyone know we use facial recognition and cloud recording. Our evidence is admissable in court. We also have gates and dogs. I have signs warning people we are armed. My neighbor is a detective and his swat car is parked across from my property. We live on top of a hill with lights that stay on all night. We have no tall bushes to hide behind. I stand my ground. I have an extended magazine installed in my daily carry with hollow points, full metal jacket. My friends are Class A licensed Swat team instructors who bear fully automatic machine guns on a turret in their vans and are Polk county sworn deputies. This is a small town. People know who I am. Come 'n get it.... LMAO

 

Insecurity lights. Thieves need light too, and the glare of most common lighting helps make it harder for other folks to detect them.

If done poorly, as most are, then they cause light pollution too.
International Dark Sky Association
IDSA Home Lighting

 

Some days I forget all about Poe's law.

 

you must be a deep sleeper if your dog barking his head off doesn't wake you up. my wife won't let me have a dog, but both neighbors have one, and the dirtbag on one side leaves his dog outside all night. I did ask the county about that and they said its legal.

but anyway, I think those shields look like they would work and definitely cost less than a cat replacement. pathetic that liberal bed wetter types have conspired to make the criminal justice system so soft on criminals, then criminalized protecting your property. as much as I dislike trump, I'm getting extremely sick of these delusional "progressives" and the asinine laws they come up with to protect criminals.

 

It isn't a matter of sleeping through the dog barks. It is a matter of arousing from the deepest of the several sleep stages, coming to reasonable awareness of something happening, getting up to assess the situation, then letting the dog out before the thieves can finish and escape. They are damn quick, so this will be quite a challenge.

Remember that there are multiple sleeps states, and sleepers repeatedly cycle through them through the night. One can awaken quickly from the shallow levels, but it takes much longer from the deeper levels. Long enough that even able-bodied people may have some trouble awakening in time for smoke and fire alarms. Especially young children, who get much more deep sleep than senior citizens.

In my community, any dog left out will need to restrained. And should be larger than two combined coyotes, in order to avoid becoming the midnight buffet. Cats don't have a chance, so should be locked indoors at night. Close the pet doors.

 

I wouldn't release a dog on them either, likely end up brained by a floor jack handle.


He's shedding up a storm; spring's coming.

 

Wrong dog.