1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Stolen catalytic converter in london uk

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by Priusinlondon, Aug 24, 2018.

  1. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    56,693
    39,238
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Hire licensed private detectives, nab the guys, then sue the police for costs and damages?

    Or just get Behzat C. on the job...
     
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  2. Skibob

    Skibob Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2018
    2,912
    1,497
    0
    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    If that’s true no wonder so many Brits wanted out of the EU.
     
    Mark6868 and Data Daedalus like this.
  3. Kindke

    Kindke Member

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2018
    80
    74
    0
    Location:
    London
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Business Ed. Plus
    My colleague from work also had his stolen yestarday I have just learned. He lives down near croydon

    Looks like the thieves just spent the entire week driving around london stealing cats from gen2's
     
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  4. landspeed

    landspeed Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2007
    357
    202
    0
    This should have been on the news as 'a scuffle ensued, during the scuffle, the hydraulic jack handle got twisted' 'One man has been admitted to Walsall Hospital intensive care unit and may be helping Police with their enquiries'.
     
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  5. landspeed

    landspeed Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2007
    357
    202
    0
    It is 100% true; if the dog attacked the thieves it *will* be put down. If that video was my car and I attacked them, I would be before the Courts, possibly facing jail time. UK :)
     
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  6. landspeed

    landspeed Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2007
    357
    202
    0
    This is very, very true. In the UK I used to do a 400 mile trip one way in a Bluebird Turbo 1.8 ZX. I used to only use Shell 'standard' petrol; I once filled with Tesco 'standard' petrol. With Shell, I drove from Scotland to Devon, on the same tank, and had up to 1/3 of a tank to spare. I confess I was using hypermiling techniques! Then the time I randomly used Tesco fuel, I was driving, and it 'just used more fuel'. This was also the time my fuel light decided to stop working; I ran out of fuel on the motorway after 240 miles, in roadworks. Fortunately I had a petrol can in the back so it wasn't a real disaster. The Tesco fuel was almost twice the price. I experimented again later and when flooring the accelerator, you could hear it detonate, and then feel the ignition get retarded, and the fuel mixture would go richer (I had a wideband Lambda for hypermiling purposes).
     
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  7. landspeed

    landspeed Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2007
    357
    202
    0
    Given the price of the replacement cat, it might actually be feasible to get basic hydraulic / gas suspension fitted, so the car can literally sit on the ground when parked. Don't know what the MOT laws are on this type of suspension though but the Citreon DS had it (also XM I think).\

    The 12v compressor idea is good; you could even get two, and do one side at a time while the car is warming up!
     
    Devdas and Mark6868 like this.
  8. Kindke

    Kindke Member

    Joined:
    Jul 14, 2018
    80
    74
    0
    Location:
    London
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Business Ed. Plus
    I dont see any scuffle in that video, just the thieves getting away with another theft
     
  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    56,693
    39,238
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    In the comments/description??
     
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  10. Data Daedalus

    Data Daedalus Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2013
    1,025
    1,185
    0
    Location:
    Wembley, London
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Sorry to hear about your colleagues CAT being nicked from under his Prius too.

    Actually, these parasitic lifeforms masquerading as humans have spent the last 8 months (approximately - give or take a few weeks) driving around London and its environs, stealing (read mining or harvesting) OEM catalytic converters from under well over 1,000 Gen 2 Prii already.

    You have to wonder at the ineptitude and gross incompetence at local government level and above, that allows such a criminal travesty to continue to be perpetrated in the Capital of the UK, to the overwhelming detriment of all the citizens affected.

    Victimless crime my Gluteus Maximus!!


    iPhone 6s +
     
    Mark6868 likes this.
  11. Mark6868

    Mark6868 Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 10, 2017
    118
    131
    0
    Location:
    London
    Vehicle:
    2001 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I took 'The Sitting Duck' out for a good long run today. This is the first run after having the new CAT fitted. If anything the MPG on my GEN 1 have improved.

    I did about 150 miles down the M4 in stop start traffic and the screen was reading 57mpg. That is slightly better than I used to get. I also had the air conditioning on as well - I must inform you all that the AC is still icy cold - :):)

    The 'noise' I thought I heard when I first picked it up has disappeared. I think I was imagining that. 'The Sitting Duck' had not been used for close to 3 weeks and I think the noise I heard was in my imagination.

    Hibernation looms for my aged Prius, but it seems the after market CAT does a splendid job. I am very impressed with the workmanship and the end result. My insurance company certainly picked a good place to fix my pampered Prius. (y)
     
    #431 Mark6868, Mar 9, 2019
    Last edited: Mar 9, 2019
    Data Daedalus and Mendel Leisk like this.
  12. Data Daedalus

    Data Daedalus Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2013
    1,025
    1,185
    0
    Location:
    Wembley, London
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Happy to hear ‘The Sitting Duck’ is fully operational and once again working within, or possibly exceeding its original design parameters.

    The AC on The Spaceship is also running ice cold; I use it regularly during winter for interior demisting (defogging windows) on typically cold DAMP London mornings. It’s amazing watching the fogged up windscreen clear very quickly, even before the engine warms up the heater.

    AC = Dehumidifier! Dries the interior of the cabin .

    Can you please advise which company your insurance sent The Sitting Duck to for repairs?
    It’s important we all know which ‘non Toyota dealership’ garages can carry out repairs like these, so that future Prius owners can contact them directly for similar repairs if they want to.

    The Spaceship was fixed by Rye Street Group in Borehamwood, and I couldn’t recommend them highly enough. They had 6 Prii in the queue when they came to collect mine .

    Their work was flawless, and very impressive customer service too!


    iPhone 6s +
     
    Mark6868 likes this.
  13. landspeed

    landspeed Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2007
    357
    202
    0
    I don't want to incriminate myself too much, but I know with those hydraulic jacks, the guy under the car is taking a big risk (beyond the crime) in that they are trusting their life to each and every rubber hydraulic seal. I have one of those jacks and you 'release' it by twisting the handle a little. :)
     
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  14. landspeed

    landspeed Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2007
    357
    202
    0
    When you say hibernation, you are keeping the Prius still?
     
  15. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    56,693
    39,238
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Yeah it is a heart-stopper, to see that guy fully under there, with just a jack, and one that's apparently seeing a lot of use.
     
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  16. Skibob

    Skibob Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2018
    2,912
    1,497
    0
    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Heart stopper? I was rooting the car would fall on the thieving bastard.
     
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  17. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk EGR Fanatic

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    56,693
    39,238
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Ah, I never wish that. Consider too: he's kinda curled up sideways, rib cage would do some nasty compression.

    These guys could well be "under someone's thumb", the tip of something bigger. Maybe telling, how long it's going on? Maybe someone "bent"?
     
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  18. landspeed

    landspeed Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2007
    357
    202
    0
    It is true; it would be a heart crusher, but usually when a car falls on someone, they survive, except they can't breathe due to the pressure (kind of like a Boa Constrictor). You would die either way, but curled up sideways would be so much more painful - and then you die anyway. The punishment doesn't fit the crime (not under UK law, at least not as it currently stands)

    I do think a form of cage is needed; likely this will evolve over time - if everyone gets cages, they will get tools, people will get better cages, etc). In South Africa you used to be able (not sure if you still can) be able to get a flamethrower kit which has a LPG gas bottle installed and makes flames come up both sides of the car (to prevent car jacking). In the UK this wouldn't be allowed (!) even if car jackings started becoming a real problem. In reality, a cage will be needed, or a friendly MOT dealer who is OK with straight-through pipes :)
     
  19. Data Daedalus

    Data Daedalus Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2013
    1,025
    1,185
    0
    Location:
    Wembley, London
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    If I caught one of those scrotes under a Prius, I’d be tempted to sneak up and twist the handle.....unfortunately you’ll notice there’s always a guard to prevent that from happening. They’re aware that’s the most dangerous phase of their theft operation.


    iPhone 6s +
     
  20. landspeed

    landspeed Active Member

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2007
    357
    202
    0
    I would be tempted too (although wouldn't do it). What would be tempting would be to run up, yelling 'Im going to twist the handle'; they would scarper quickly and think twice about doing it again!

    I like that CAT strap you got - would stop them doing it again!
     
    Mark6868 and Data Daedalus like this.