Stolen catalytic converter in london uk

Yeah the Brits want there to be a conspiracy, to much Line of Duty, Midsomer Murders, A Touch of Frost, and on and on, lol.

 

I have this lovely tubing cutter that takes only 20 degrees of rotation to cut all the way around the pipe. It takes about 20 seconds to cut thru, and it’s whisper quiet, with low effort.

 

I have one of those tubing cutters too. Being quiet is what theft is all about.

 

They didn’t need a list of locations for Prii or indeed their owners addresses.

This crime wave started in London, which is totally saturated with virtually all models of Prii.
They’re everywhere - like sand!

The 2nd Generation Prius is heavily over engineered, so much so, they just won’t DIE.

Indeed, I still see a few 1st Gen Prius when commuting, that are doubtlessly daily drivers.

The Gen 2 Prii were there for the taking; there was no elaborate conspiracy in that respect.

Find a parked Gen 2 (preferably in a car park or residential street - the noisier the better), check for an OEM CAT, jack up the vehicle, one goon stands guard, the other cuts it out.
All done in under 2 minutes.
The perfect opportunist crime as virtually nobody had a clue what they were doing (initially).
So, nobody stopped them. Or cared.
They even initially dressed up as mechanics for that extra camouflage factor.

Now they don’t bother - law enforcement is conveniently looking the other way - because they’ve classed these criminal activities as a VICTIMLESS CRIME.

The Grand Theft CAT syndicate simply relied on the perceived gullibility of the civilised general populace to succeed.

The same civilised population that relies on law enforcement to protect them from this kind of crime.

There is no elaborate conspiracy on the part of the criminals - unless you wonder why the UK government saw it fit to expose its citizens to such unheard of (in decades) levels of crime through swingeing budget cuts to law enforcement.

What was THEIR endgame?

You do wonder if there’s a conspiracy right there



iPhone 6s +

 

Sorry, I may have missed the post where you explained but are you saying your cat got stolen (or there was a confirmed attempted theft) despite it having a tilt alarm that went off and a catloc (as well as a warning sticker on it)?

Or have I got the wrong end of the stick?

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Apologies, when my cat was stolen I had a tilt alarm and the cat was security marked, no catloc. I now have the catloc fitted after having a new cat fitted, the other day I don’t believe it was an attempted theft, just wind or a passing car setting off the alarm, the car was parked at an angle which may of contributed to it sounding.

 

They can jack it up so quickly to check directly, that fake security stickers are quite likely to be meaningless.

 

That’s the thing, the stickers were saying that the catalytic converter was security marked, which it was, but it made no difference. There’s either a dodgy dealer in this country taking in encoded cats, or it got sent abroad.

 

I think these have been clear all along. Illegal scrap dealers illegally paying cash for cats that will be melted down, making any markings useless.

 

I'm now another victim. My Gen 2 catalytic converter got stolen yesterday from the Edmonton IKEA car park. I was one of at least 3 cars done.

Gutted as
1. I was booked in to have a cat lock fitted on Tuesday by Toyota
2. I was parked directly under a CCTV camera
3. It was an extremely busy car park
4. I had a bad feeling about the car when I left it, but I told myself not to worry too much

Sigh...

I called the police while still there
Reported to ikea. Filled out form for cctv footage
I called the insurance who towed it away. I'll have to deal with it today onwards.

I've spent all night reading this thread. Thank you all. Hence I felt I needed to contribute my story

So the 2nd car that was targeted (reg 09) he said this was his third time . No idea if he had OEM cats

The 3rd car she just thought her car had broken down.

I suspect there were more incidents in the IKEA car park

Not sure what to do. I loved this car, it had become family. We have only one car. Car had only 75k mileage.

Gutted.

 

Talking to a guy at work who organises the transport and he told me a Cat was stolen from one of the vans whilst out on a job.

Not your usual jack up and cut job, oh no.

The (scum) smashed the driver's side quarter window, leaned in and popped the bonnet. Opened the bonnet and stole it from inside he engine bay.

No idea what type (or make) of van it was, but apparently it happens quite a lot now, so they're starting to have cat locks fitted on vans too.

Maybe the Cat criminals of London are starting to run out of Prius cars now, and are too lazy to travel further afield so they're targeting vans instead.

 

Really sorry to hear about this theft from your lovely Prius.
I used to regularly use the IKEA in Wembley and often wondered how safe it was. Seems nowhere is safe.

These cretins are on a spree and nobody in authority is interested it seems.

The more I read this thread the less regret I have about getting rid of 'The Sitting Duck' ....

Again, I am sad to hear you (and others) have been targeted.

 

Sorry to hear you’ve become another unfortunate victim of the Prius Grand Theft CAT spree in London UK.

These brazen bastards really seem to have been secretly given the keys to the City of London.

Clearly, they’re aware law enforcement couldn’t give a Rat’s rear end about their unlawful activities.
The Government and the MPs obviously think this crime spree they’re equally explicitly involved in foisting upon the Prius 2 owning populace is just the perfect spoon of “Austerity Fish Oil” (snake oil?) we deserve - they remain complicit in their complete refusal to acknowledge the matter, and of course by brutally slashing police budgets and implicitly making us all victims of this crime in the first place.

The Spaceship spent a large chunk of yesterday (Sunday) parked in a car park in Enfield Retail Park, then another few hours at Lee Valley Luxe Odeon.

I’m pleased to say I came back each time to a wheeled spacecraft which still had an intact and fully operational CAT.
It’s difficult to say whether it’s the super reinforced CAT security system installed by “The Governor” (thanks dude!) that’s chased them away every time they sneak a peek under the vehicle, or whether it’s the recently professionally installed Thinkware F800 Pro 128GB twin channel dash cam system (with ominous security lights flashing) that’s surveilling The Spaceship’s surroundings 24/7 (36 hour minimum capacity auxiliary Cellink Neo 6 battery also professionally installed on board). BTW, footage is downloaded to my servers every 24 hours or earlier.

Bloody expensive, but worth every damn penny.

If they come again, they’ll get 1080p world wide video exposure for a start, and hopefully their voices too, as it records sound!

If any of the Grand Theft CAT gang are reading this, and you should be, start thinking BAIT CAR(s).
There might be more surveillance cameras festooning some Prii out there than you might think....and they might not be all visible!
Someone might be on to you at last, and it might NOT be law enforcement.

Methinks you’ve p(bleeep)ed off quite a few Prius owners.....there might be a price out on your miserable, worthless thieving hides!

Be afraid. Be very fracking afraid



iPhone 6s +

 

Most likely a Mercedes van sprinter their cats are in the engine bay above the wheel arches costs about £3000 to repair replace due to the amount of damage done to the vehicles wiring looms etc

I only know cos I searched you tube for catalytic theft

 

Get it sorted the cars hold their resale value sell it or retain it I’m surprised what the cars with 300,000 on the clock are demanding £2000 still sorry and upsetting for your loss

 

The thing is if you see someone stealing it what can you do would you really chance getting injured for someone else’s car? These guys are so bold no fear. Ideally the jack should slip “accidentally” but most of the times they operate in pairs one is a look out.

If it’s your own car and you can get access while they are stealing perhaps just driving it off would be a wonderful deterrent to all these thieves not sure what the police will do no doubt they will side on the thieves.

 

At least, if I’m in my Prius, I’d now get brilliant footage. If I’m on foot, I’d shoot video till they start chasing me away.
I’d post the footage on social media ASAP.
I’d call the police, even if they’ll fob me off.
I’d try and do something at least.
I’d disable their getaway vehicle if I could - though, they’d probably beat me up and throw me in the boot of their car - my kidneys are probably still worth a lot on the Internet.

I’d rather not standby and gawp.

Yes, it’s not worth getting injured or shot over.....but still....


iPhone 6s +

 

For sure I feel your anger too but in this same forum I think someone confronted the thieves and still they didn’t give up.

Just so upsetting that authorities aren’t doing anything about it just advising people to park in well lit and secure areas. How’s that going to work people have to go to work go shopping how many of us have garages?

 

You are correct Devdas.
Polite enquiries were made this morning to confirm the van was a Mercedes.
The transport manager is not a happy bunny. Not happy at all - not helped by me bombarding him with Jessica Fletcher-esque questions.

 

Mine was in a well lit area (it was stolen in broad day light)
Mine was under a CCTV camera (they (the police lol) don't have the manpower to source the footage - let alone view it)
Mine was in a busy foot-fall area (nobody saw a thing)

Apart from security on the Prius cars, there doesn't seem much else that can be done.

Maybe we should have all parked our wonderful Prius vehicles in our living rooms?

I know where I'd like to park the ex 'The Sitting Duck' - right up the arses of the thieves!!