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Justice Department announces takedown of catalytic converter theft ring

justice.gov

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Re: Justice Department announces takedown of catalytic converter theft ring

#81

Post by pyuser583 »

nkrisc wrote: post #18
treeman79 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Only thing that will help is serious prison sentences and the right to defend property with deadly force. Many areas of the country there is no consequences.

Property is not worth a life. Not even the life of the person damaging it. Property can be replaced, a life can not. Besides, there’s way too much margin for error in vigilante justice. That’s why we have trials, imperfect as even they may be. They’re certainly better than empowering everyone to be judge, jury, and executioner because they thought you might be committing a property crime.

It depends on the property.

I have medication I need to live. If I don’t take it regularly daily, a clock starts ticking. When the time is up, I die.

When I travel I treat my bags like my life. I recent had nasty run in with an airline that wanted me to check my bags. I refused to get on the plane.

When I took the next flight, my checked baggage didn’t make the connection.

I might have survived if I got to the ER fast enough. But those bags are my life.

In developing countries, petrol means access to medicine, food, etc.

“Property is more important than life” is a luxury belief for the wealthy and healthy.

Re: Justice Department announces takedown of catalytic converter theft ring

#82

Post by TEP_Kim_Il_Sung »

solomatov wrote: post #14
notch656a wrote: post #9

It should be legal to run a straight-pipe if your cat gets stolen through no fault of your own. The economics incentives of the black market are there in the first place largely proximal to policy. As it stands .gov gets to light the candle from both ends, going after those failing emissions while also going after the cat thieves. Edit: Love the helpful comments though telling poor people just to move out of the city…

What incentives do you mean? Catalytic converters protect all of us from harmful compounds in exhaust, and I don't see why to fight thieves we need to breathe bad air.

You could just go back to wearing masks. N95 are actually made to stop industrial particulates and chemicals. Just a possible alternative.

Re: Justice Department announces takedown of catalytic converter theft ring

#83

Post by alhirzel »

ctime wrote: post #49

I’ve armored both of my IC engine vehicles due to the local theft issues which spiked after the pandemic started. Cost about $400 per vehicle (both happen to be the top targets for thieves). I’m hoping it’s saved me the annoyance of having the part stolen, but I’m rather sad to see things degenerate to this level. Glad to see the feds really go after the crooks.

What did you do to protect them, install a plate?

Re: Justice Department announces takedown of catalytic converter theft ring

#84

Post by djbusby »

sergiotapia wrote: post #42
grecy wrote: post #30

I feel like this is exactly like going after ivory poachers instead of the buyers at the other end. Who is creating a market for stolen catalytic converters? Are the precious metals being extracted, melted down and sold? to who and where? Put THOSE people in jail for the rest of their lives and change the setup so there is in incentive for anyone to even steal one in the first place.

"You follow drugs, you get drug addicts and drug dealers. But you start to follow the money, and you don't know where the fuck it's gonna take you."

Gotta cite this quote. It's Lester Freamon from The Wire (USA TV)

Re: Justice Department announces takedown of catalytic converter theft ring

#86

Post by comex »

svnpenn wrote: post #36
adrianmonk wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here in Texas, the law does give the right to defend property with deadly force[1]. And lots of people have guns. We are the #1 state on the list of gun ownership[2]. And catalytic converter theft is still very common. We are the #2 state on the list of catalytic converter thefts per 100k automobiles[3]. --- [1] https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/PE/htm/PE.9.htm [2] https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/gun-ownership…

Texas has more than double the licenses of even the second place state (Florida).

Do you mean driver’s licenses? That doesn’t seem relevant if the figure is thefts per 100k automobiles.

Re: Justice Department announces takedown of catalytic converter theft ring

#87

Post by friend_and_foe »

nkrisc wrote: post #18
treeman79 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Only thing that will help is serious prison sentences and the right to defend property with deadly force. Many areas of the country there is no consequences.

Property is not worth a life. Not even the life of the person damaging it. Property can be replaced, a life can not. Besides, there’s way too much margin for error in vigilante justice. That’s why we have trials, imperfect as even they may be. They’re certainly better than empowering everyone to be judge, jury, and executioner because they thought you might be committing a property crime.

If it's not worth your life then don't steal it.

Re: Justice Department announces takedown of catalytic converter theft ring

#88

Post by filoleg »

xcrunner529 wrote: post #72
reustle wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People would grind off the serial numbers and sell them on the secondary market, or for the metals. With motorcycles, for example, motors and frames have vin numbers stamped to help prevent this, but you’ll sometimes see cheap parts for sale with the vin cleaned off.

Why can’t it be a felony to buy said items?

Because that's not what happens with stolen catalytic converters, so it wouldn't change anything. Stolen cathalytic converters are valuable due to precious metals that can be extracted from them.

Re: Justice Department announces takedown of catalytic converter theft ring

#89

Post by mardifoufs »

fswd wrote: post #70
55555 wrote: post #28

I may be misreading this but the margins look insane. DG Auto paid like 38 million USD for stolen converters, performed a simple extraction process, then sold the precious metals for 550 million USD. Wow.

Wow. I googled DG Auto, and they even have an app for thieves to check prices. https://dgauto.app/ Really wish the cops would download a list of who installed this app and find their location data on top of a map of reported thefts...

Theft as a service, literally. You can even get them graded! Pretty good app all things considered

Re: Justice Department announces takedown of catalytic converter theft ring

#90

Post by barsonme »

notriddle wrote: post #78
laverya wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Right, but they should have to prove that the home was paid for with crime, and not the other way around.

That seems like an impossible standard. What happens if the criminal took a job that payed less because of their criminal activity, put the legal paychecks into house payments, and the illegal money into food and other consumables?

Because of Blackstone’s ratio.
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