Featured Sad Catalytic Converter theft news

It's a third gen too.

 

A result of Social Darwinism.

Glad I own a Prius v, of which the catalytic converter will not fit a regular Gen 3.

 

When you watch the online videos of people stealing Prius cat converters it's easy to get angry and wish you could do something... When I think of what I'd do, I immediately realize how vulnerable the thief is to someone messing with their floor jack... Most of the thieves have someone stand look out for 'em... All this for something they're only going to get $150 from a buyer who will make much, much more because they know how to process the rare metals. And don't get me wrong... I'm almost always non-violent because it's way more predictable and viable than resorting to the dangerous unpredictability of violence... But at the same time, it's so infuriating and I have to calm myself down when I see people do this on video.

 

Actually, you're just a vulnerable as every other Prius owner. They don't target specific Prius based on resale of a part, they target Prius because a hybrid engine pumps half as much exhaust gas as most cars so Prius have much cleaner cats, which means a greater harvest of palladium and other very expensive metals. And so long as the value of Palladium keeps skyrocketing...

 

Maybe we should cut the square drive end off of the correct socket and glue it onto the heads of the bolts that hold the catalytic converter with JB Weld.

Sill, they can cut it off with and angle grinder. They can do that with those special locks, too.

However, a few thieves might be deterred.

They eliminated local copper thefts a few years, ago, buy requiring permits that required valid ID's from those selling salvaged copper.

 

somewhere, @Data Daedalus is cheering

 

Model 3, no problem. My BMW i3-REx has a motorcycle sized catalytic converter buried in the engine/motor bay.

Bob Wilson

 

I knew this would happen eventually. It's sad, but it's an incredibly stupid thing they're doing.

 

Rehabilitation can be a permanent thing.

 

I'm not seeing it.....
What's sad?

 

I feel sad for the owner, who will feel guilt for a tragedy he/she/it is not responsible for.

 

you think?

 

That's true. I hope the owner is mentally tough enough to not let it bother them. I hate thieves badly enough that I'd probably try to sue his estate/executor for whatever repair costs are for the car, plus emotional distress. Who in the he** is he to damage and steal something I've worked hard for. Hopefully he didn't leave an innocent family behind.

I completely believe every single person in the world is deserving of respect, deserving of a chance to have a good life and deserving of a helping hand when needed, until they prove otherwise. This individual falls under "until they prove otherwise". Odds are slim this was his first theft. How much heartache has he caused and how many lives has he temporarily devastated or worse? Maybe a single mom with a couple kids, barely making ends meet and now has no car to get to work? Maybe she loses her job and income because of some loser. Maybe some kid who had final exams at college that day, or had his first real job interview. Who really knows. Society is better off without him.

 

Estate? Executor? Do any of these thieves have enough assets for either?

I'll give them a bit more than that, they still deserve some basic (but reduced) level of respect and opportunity for a good life when not immediately engaged in criminality. Rehabilitation and redemption are still possible after just about any criminal act, and a fairly good number do eventually reform. To some degree, if they survive to natural life expectancies.

But I shed no tears nor feel any guilt for those who expire during, and because of, their immediate criminality. Especially when their expiration was entirely at their own hand, unassisted by victims of the crime or others.

In the UK threads, I thought that the grinder was the primary means, rendering any special bolts meaningless.

In the Seattle area, enforcement of these scrap transaction rules seems to have failed, leading to very significant rates of new copper thefts.

That video was filmed in the UK. I was thinking that more American victims would do something. At least in the areas where they still can. Many of us don't have the same degree of do-nothing-leave-them-alone mindset drilled in since forever.

It does help that various police here have been far more responsive than have the London police, who seem to dismiss it as a victimless crime not worthy of any priority. Some of the crooks here have actually been caught.

 

Second time stealing catalytic converters has been mentioned here. I never would have guessed.

I presume that’s partly because they can fetch a handsome price, but why Prii in particular? Is it because Prius cats are even more expensive? Or easier than average to steal?

 

The 2004-2009 Prius has an unusually high dose of precious metals in its converter. They represent a better payoff-per-theft than other cars.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

 

True for gen-3 and Gen.-4?

 

We have seen many more reports than that. Even if narrowed down to just Gen3s in the U.S. Gen2 thefts in the UK have been epidemic for quite a long time.

 

In our neck of the woods, pickups, especially the ones with high ground clearance, a the cat-burglar vehicle of choice.

Bob Wilson