Catalytic Converter Theft

He was not the first, or second, self-expired thief called out here.

Multiple witness on scene, and they didn't gang up to better interfere with the incident? They even let a thief get back out of the van to reclaim his jack.

Do note that the thief under the car is technically committing only a property crime, and most jurisdictions will not tolerate a violent response such as collapsing the jack onto him. But the thief advancing on the cameraman while threatening with a blowtorch, however, has escalated the incident to armed robbery, greatly expanding the set of legal responses from the victims. Just what options are legal will depend on the particular jurisdiction and the personalities heading it.

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Two days ago, in another thread, I linked a local story about two men holding a cat thief at gunpoint. But since the thief was cooperating, they put their guns away while waiting for police to arrive. A mistake, the perp pulled out a knife and stabbed them. But he didn't get away. He is now being held on a quarter million dollars bail for two counts of first degree assault:
Two stabbed after confronting a man allegedly trying to steal catalytic converter

 

Just a quick push, no need to even speak with the person underneath.

HI operator, I went out to my car and found a man dead under my car. I have no idea what happen but send help.

that’s the only thing I will tell them.

 

Lesson, never point your gun away from danger.

 

This one had an accomplice or two as witnesses. And there were additional, independent witnesses too, appearing later in the video. And even absent human witnesses, there are lots of security cameras out there nowadays, most not under your control.

Even absent such witnesses, the perp might still be viable when the cops arrive, especially if they have a good response time. Or if no longer viable, forensics could well figure out that his viability overlapped your 911 call. Don't dig yourself into new and unnecessary trouble.

There is a bit of a tricky and risky situation as police arrive to take control of the scene. The legal gun holders don't want to be confused with the crooks when police burst on to the scene, so it is advisable to be securely holstered when they arrive. This was mentioned in some long ago defensive training, but not particularly well covered. Perhaps I should take a modern refresher.

Certainly don't stand within Tueller Drill range of the perp when holstering.

 

Another cat thief expires from jack failure, this time under a Mercedes at an auto repair shop in Vancouver WA yesterday morning. And he had several other cats in his car already.

Southwest Washington man crushed to death during apparent catalytic converter theft | The Seattle Times

 

another win for the good guys.

 

Couldn't happen to a more deserving person.

I'd never get under a car supported only by a hydraulic floor jack alone. He depended on a cheap 10 cent Chinese O ring.

Or, he might have even been stupid enough to depend on a scissor jack like the idiot in Anaheim.

Fool!

 

I don't celebrate it as a win. But don't feel any loss to mourn either.

 

Area man asleep in his truck, wakes up to the sound of a thief cutting the cat. Shoots straight down at thief, who crawls back to his car. Truck owner ties him up to hitch ball, drags him into nearby field, dumps him to die. Then comes back, drives away thief's car to dump elsewhere. Witnesses (who had also been asleep in their vehicles) give live narration to 911 dispatcher.

He is charged with kidnapping and second degree murder. He is a prior felon, but the article makes no mention of a felon-in-possession charge.

Man accused of shooting catalytic converter thief, dragging body behind truck in Lakewood
Michael Campbell is accused of shooting a suspected thief and dragging him into a field where he died.

 

Just south of Seattle:

Kent Police recover hundreds of stolen catalytic converters

"KENT, Wash. – Almost 800 catalytic converters and $40,000 in cash were recovered following an investigation in King County, Kent Police say.

Police say the people they arrested were travelling to the King County area from out of state to purchase stolen catalytic converters."

 

how does one push a car to make it fall...especially if one is not very strong? This is actually good advice if its possible.

 

I wouldn’t do that, to anyone, and really: don’t even approach them, just call the cops, and stress it’s a crime in progress.

 

While this is the correct response my imagination often asks how I would respond if I came out of a store and saw someone underneath my jacked up car... Jumping up and down on their ankles is about as cruel as my mind wants to go, but I'd probably just scream and yell alot. Meanwhile, day before yesterday I read an article of someone who got shot by the cat thief's lookout when they noticed what was going on, so that's probably going to make me even more hesitant to react.

 

twist the jack pole handle counter clockwise quickly is the safe alternative

 

Not really. It works only if the thief is working alone, and used a flimsy unstable jack, such as the one that came with the car. And then, many jurisdictions would file murder or manslaughter charges against you.

From what we have seen before, many thieves work in pairs (or more), with one standing guard as a lookout for any interference. In videos from the UK, this guard is wielding a tire iron, ready to strike anyone intervening.

They also commonly bring their own jack, faster and more stable than the flimsy type you might be able to push over.

This would also put you at high legal risk, for a violent response to a property crime outside your home that didn't put you at any risk of violence. Especially in an era of widespread security cameras, as the police will almost certainly find any security recordings by neighbors. Even without such recordings, you are at great risk that they'll find physical evidence of you doing something improper. And the location you list is one rather likely to file criminal charges against you.

Do call 9-1-1. And do get whatever pictures of the offenders that you can, from as close as you feel safe. It is very likely that they'll be gone before any police can arrive, so pictures of suspects are highly valuable.

Any opportunity to jump up and down on their ankles seem very unlikely. Lookouts won't allow it, and will warn the guy underneath to get out before you can arrive.

Screaming and yelling a lot, from as close as you can comfortably get without excessive risk, seems like the most likely to chase them off before they can complete the theft. The more screaming maniacs coming at them at once, the better.

That is when it becomes legal to shoot them, in much (but not all) of the U.S. Or when they raise a tire iron at any victims approaching too close for their comfort. But most victims are not prepared for this, or find that the overall circumstances just don't fit.

 

Press the red panic button on your key fob. That might scare them away.

 

Around here the thieves have pepper spray and are spraying people who try to stop them

 

Yes! Add to that your strongest, most loud, most terrifying scream and doing them both simultaneously could very well trigger the thieves internal panic alarm/flight response. After all sound is powerful:

 

In civilized countries such as the UK, even the regular police do not carry, and are not authorized to carry, a firearm: they call in specially trained armed officers when necessary. The USA is not the UK, admittedly, but the situation in the USA may parallel what a European immigrant to New South Wales, Australia reported: when he first arrived hardly anyone had firearms, but then the State govt. got the bright idea of arming the police, and soon there were firearms everywhere.

 

"In civilized countries such as the UK, even the regular police do not carry, and are not authorized to carry, a firearm"

So we are a bunch of uncivilized heathens because we have a constitutional right to bear arms? And if the Police didn't have them then we wouldn't either? I don't think so....