Catalytic Converter Theft
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Catalytic Converter Theft
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Re: Catalytic Converter Theft
#2I don't quite understand why the authorities can't hit these guys in the supply line. Make it impossible to shift a bare catalytic converter by cracking down on scrap merchants who would be buying them.
Re: Catalytic Converter Theft
#3I don't quite understand why the authorities can't hit these guys in the supply line. Make it impossible to shift a bare catalytic converter by cracking down on scrap merchants who would be buying them.
They’re melted down and the result is pure untraceable metal. Rhodium vendors can’t be common though. What’s the story the fences give? “This is all from my small-scale family rhodium mine”?
Re: Catalytic Converter Theft
#4The local metal scrapyards are far too lenient. They don’t bat an eye at someone bringing in stolen air conditioning condensers (they can even be brand new)
You should have to have the tittle for the car to bring a converter in, since it’s a federal offense to remove them.
Re: Catalytic Converter Theft
#5I don't quite understand why the authorities can't hit these guys in the supply line. Make it impossible to shift a bare catalytic converter by cracking down on scrap merchants who would be buying them.
They’re melted down and the result is pure untraceable metal. Rhodium vendors can’t be common though. What’s the story the fences give? “This is all from my small-scale family rhodium mine”?
Small-scale / illegal mines are a big issue in China and India, so I suppose it can be commingled into that chain: https://e360.yale.edu/features/china-wrestles-with-the-toxic...
Re: Catalytic Converter Theft
#6I don't quite understand why the authorities can't hit these guys in the supply line. Make it impossible to shift a bare catalytic converter by cracking down on scrap merchants who would be buying them.
They’re melted down and the result is pure untraceable metal. Rhodium vendors can’t be common though. What’s the story the fences give? “This is all from my small-scale family rhodium mine”?
in the uk there are laws requiring logs and proof of identity when trading scrap metal.
I suspect with Catalytic Converter thefts, the CATs are small enough and light enough to be shipped abroad
Re: Catalytic Converter Theft
#7This happened to me. Twice within a few weeks. Parked in a train commuter lot. I eventually had the mechanic screw some steel mesh to the bottom of my pickup to deter the thieves. Thankfully I kept comprehensive insurance on my vehicle so the out of pocket expense was $50. The insurance company did call to investigate the second time because they thought I was in on it.
Re: Catalytic Converter Theft
#8Earlier quoted context omitted.
They’re melted down and the result is pure untraceable metal. Rhodium vendors can’t be common though. What’s the story the fences give? “This is all from my small-scale family rhodium mine”?
in the uk there are laws requiring logs and proof of identity when trading scrap metal. I suspect with Catalytic Converter thefts, the CATs are small enough and light enough to be shipped abroad
In my city (YO1) we had a gang of Eastern Europeans committing this crime regularly and in quantity.
They were eventually caught with container loads of cat's on their way to Europe.
Re: Catalytic Converter Theft
#9[flagged]
Re: Catalytic Converter Theft
#10Easy to install shields like this one from catshield https://catshield.com/ can be a somewhat effective deterrent given the thieves have to be able to remove it quickly without making noise.
Also hybrids are more targeted for cat theft because they have more of the metals than normal cars to compensate for frequent engine stops and starts from cold.