Stolen catalytic converter in london uk

Around here, commuter parking lots are treated like recycling yards, since the cars sit for half a day. Not only do catalytic converters disappear, front ends, especially with HID headlamps, wind up missing.

 

Yeah too bad, this is getting epidemic. Looks like the pipes were just sheared, some sort of massive bolt cutter snips? Obviously much quieter than (say) an angle grinder with a cut-off wheel.

 

We are an aftermarket supplier of catalytic converters and can confirm that we are getting dozens of orders per week for Prius cats. The majority of them are being stolen from Euro 4 specification vehicles so we are wondering why so many are being taken as they are relatively cheap to replace. The majority of the orders are coming from the London area too. It seems that they are easy to remove without jacking the car up which might explain why the Prius is being targeted, but scrap dealers won't take them these days so we're assuming that they are being shipped abroad.

 

This has been happening in California for 10 years or more. Until there is a crackdown on the places that buy these things it will continue. I suggest having your vin or license plate number etched into your cat. It might not stop them but it could help with an investigation, at least it proves it was stolen. The police here have events where they will etch it for free.

 

This would be effective if it was done to every one, at the factory. Good idea though.

 

It helped here in California. It’s proof that the cat was stolen.

 

Horror of horrors! Just had my catalytic converter stolen from underneath my 2008 Prius Tspirit this afternoon between shortly after midday and 2.00pm....!!

Horrified? Yes! Angry? Definitely. I’d like to go Angry Anakin Skywalker on the low life cretin who attacked “The Spaceship” in Bermondsey Pub Car Park (The Angel). Don’t park your Prius there.....it seems Devils wreak havoc on Prii in that car park.

Waited 4 hours in 4c temperatures for a tow home. Livid, I am.

With a rising crime rate like this, it seems London has definitely fallen .

Now I’ve no vehicle for work, and it’s gonna cost me a BOMB to fix, getting a replacement from Toyota .

I’m well and truly foxtrotted.

I swear I’ll exterminate that thieving scrote IF I ever get hold of him....

 

bummer! sorry man, have you contacted the gent in post #4 for a relatively inexpensive price?

 

This may be the most British thing I've ever read.

Was the car undrivable? Why did it require a tow?

 

Your kidding, right? Shit has been happening in California for like 10 plus years. If the guy decided to have the car towed why you talk poop? Ever had your cat stolen?

 

It required a tow, because hot burning exhaust gases were exiting prematurely from the point where the CAT had been cut out from under the vehicle. Those hot gases could feasibly ignite something under there and cause a conflagration.
I don’t want to be a Darwin Award recipient.

Further more, be advised that in the UK, it would be illegal for me to drive the vehicle in that state for the following reasons (punishable by law);

EMISSIONS

NOISE POLLUTION

ENGINE LIGHT ON (Danger Will Robinson, Danger...)

ENDANGERING OTHER ROAD USERS

INVALIDATED INSURANCE (driving a damaged vehicle that isn’t strictly legal according to my insurance terms and conditions).

That’s what springs to mind.

Does that make sense to you?




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My insurance Company are arranging a replacement rental car for me in the mean time. The rental car company representative advises that this is the 10th Prius Catalytic Converter theft he’s heard of in the last 3 weeks!

I’m horrified!

What’s the guarantee that after my Prius is fixed, they won’t just come round and just cut it out of my vehicle again?




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Got my cat stolen over the weekend, from my Prius 2008 model. This is from South East London, not far from Greenwich Park.

Called Toyota for a quote - they came back with an amazing 2k to fit a new one!

Does anyone know a cheaper version to replace it? I also got another opinion from a garage service, mentioning that the part is very expensive and that's why the price is so high. He mentioned about some other type of cat which is not Toyota specific, for around 900 pounds, but which is not that great and wouldn't last on the long term..

Any suggestions please let me know!

 

You might visit a place that installs burglar alarms. While I doubt they have an off-the-shelf solution, they might be able to add another sensor.

 

These aren't loud.

 

Good heavens! That would explain why nobody heard nothing. And apparently, even the alarm didn’t go off.

Thank you. I had no idea a tool like that even existed. This is depressing......and I thought your average miscreant wouldn’t be seen dead anywhere near any Prius......now they’re gleefully picking Prii apart.....with malice afore thought.....


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If the cops pick someone up, late at night, with that contraption in a packsack, pretty much a slam dunk what they were up to.

It's one thing to personally engrave some ID on your Cat. But if there was a general program by car manufacturers, to have all cars coming out of the factory with with an ID, easily trackable, and publicized, maybe the thieves would be out of business?

 

there's a fella right here on priuschat who buys 'scrap cats'.

 

Similar to serial numbers on guns: if some scrap dealer is found in posession of Cat's with serial numbers ground off...

Crazy though.