Thieves want YOUR cat converter
21-Mar-2007, 02:45 PM
#1
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Thieves want YOUR cat converter
http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_8913.aspx
Catalytic Converter Theft Warning For Car Owners
Monday March 19, 2007
What's the one thing you'd expect car thieves to take besides your vehicle itself?
A stereo system, your cell phone, maybe something out of your glove compartment.
But your catalytic converter?
Chances are most drivers don't even know where the device, which helps control emissions, is on their automobiles.
But crooks do.
It turns out the piece of equipment that sits out of sight on your car contains ingredients that are becoming increasingly valuable on the black market. And it's incredibly easy to steal.
"All it takes is a sawzall with a metal blade, a couple of quick cuts and it's out," explains Cam Young, a mechanic at Cam's Auto Service. "Less than two minutes."
And it's a growing crime. One Brampton auto shop recently lost $1 million worth of catalytic converters.
What's the big attraction? It's what inside that counts.
Catalytic converters contain expensive precious metals like platinum - which is worth up to $1,200 an ounce; palladium, which can fetch $320 an ounce and rhodium, the biggest prize of all. It goes for up to $6,000 an ounce on the market.
The fact so many are disappearing doesn't shock Young. "With the price of the scrap, the value of the part, how easy it is to steal, I'm not surprised at all."
Ironically, replacing a converter will only run you about $300. But to a thief, all those separate parts are as good as gold.
"It's not just warehouse thefts we're hearing about," relates P.C. Sean Piper of Peel Regional Police. "We're actually having small cases of public parking lots, vehicles that are being left in GO stations."
You can't lock them down and you can't really stop a determined thief from making off with it. So what can you do to protect yourself?
Try to park in a safe and secure place, where a stranger with a saw would be instantly suspect. And when possible, keep your car in your garage instead of on your driveway.
Catalytic Converter Theft Warning For Car Owners
Monday March 19, 2007
What's the one thing you'd expect car thieves to take besides your vehicle itself?
A stereo system, your cell phone, maybe something out of your glove compartment.
But your catalytic converter?
Chances are most drivers don't even know where the device, which helps control emissions, is on their automobiles.
But crooks do.
It turns out the piece of equipment that sits out of sight on your car contains ingredients that are becoming increasingly valuable on the black market. And it's incredibly easy to steal.
"All it takes is a sawzall with a metal blade, a couple of quick cuts and it's out," explains Cam Young, a mechanic at Cam's Auto Service. "Less than two minutes."
And it's a growing crime. One Brampton auto shop recently lost $1 million worth of catalytic converters.
What's the big attraction? It's what inside that counts.
Catalytic converters contain expensive precious metals like platinum - which is worth up to $1,200 an ounce; palladium, which can fetch $320 an ounce and rhodium, the biggest prize of all. It goes for up to $6,000 an ounce on the market.
The fact so many are disappearing doesn't shock Young. "With the price of the scrap, the value of the part, how easy it is to steal, I'm not surprised at all."
Ironically, replacing a converter will only run you about $300. But to a thief, all those separate parts are as good as gold.
"It's not just warehouse thefts we're hearing about," relates P.C. Sean Piper of Peel Regional Police. "We're actually having small cases of public parking lots, vehicles that are being left in GO stations."
You can't lock them down and you can't really stop a determined thief from making off with it. So what can you do to protect yourself?
Try to park in a safe and secure place, where a stranger with a saw would be instantly suspect. And when possible, keep your car in your garage instead of on your driveway.
21-Mar-2007, 03:28 PM
#2
what is this world coming to.....if people would just put all of their energy from stealing things into a REAL job, they'd be rich in no time. Or take that energy and creativity that they use to steal stuff and develop a product that the world will benefit from....not think up better things to steal (shakes fist).
21-Mar-2007, 03:30 PM
#3
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Originally posted by zeeman
what is this world coming to.....if people would just put all of their energy from stealing things into a REAL job, they'd be rich in no time. Or take that energy and creativity that they use to steal stuff and develop a product that the world will benefit from....not think up better things to steal (shakes fist).
what is this world coming to.....if people would just put all of their energy from stealing things into a REAL job, they'd be rich in no time. Or take that energy and creativity that they use to steal stuff and develop a product that the world will benefit from....not think up better things to steal (shakes fist).
21-Mar-2007, 06:41 PM
#9
i knew that the "scrap guys" were always interested in cats b/c of the material inside and their worth....but theives, damn, they've got some sack to be crawlin under cars stealin cats. Its not like cutting through an exhaust pipe with a saw is quiet.
Almost makes me wanna go stakeout a GO parking lot or other busy parking lot, wait for a theif to come try and steal my cat, then when they're under my car, start it up and run their a$$ over...no judge would find you guilty for running over someone trying to steal something from under your car....lol
Almost makes me wanna go stakeout a GO parking lot or other busy parking lot, wait for a theif to come try and steal my cat, then when they're under my car, start it up and run their a$$ over...no judge would find you guilty for running over someone trying to steal something from under your car....lol
22-Mar-2007, 02:46 AM
#17
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Moon
Posts: 8,921
Originally posted by zeeman
what is this world coming to.....if people would just put all of their energy from stealing things into a REAL job, they'd be rich in no time. Or take that energy and creativity that they use to steal stuff and develop a product that the world will benefit from....not think up better things to steal (shakes fist).
what is this world coming to.....if people would just put all of their energy from stealing things into a REAL job, they'd be rich in no time. Or take that energy and creativity that they use to steal stuff and develop a product that the world will benefit from....not think up better things to steal (shakes fist).
22-Mar-2007, 02:47 AM
#18
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Moon
Posts: 8,921
Originally posted by Cynikal.Mindset
time to rob the auto parts stores and yoink some cats haha
time to rob the auto parts stores and yoink some cats haha
there is nothing inside brand new cats. the cats build up the deposits after years of usage. so getting brand new ones gives you nothing.
22-Mar-2007, 07:51 AM
#20
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Photographer's Corner
Posts: 13,424
Originally posted by Team Rukus
you wont find ****.
it has to be sent to a factory that does extraction.
you wont find ****.
it has to be sent to a factory that does extraction.
TO THIEVES: you cant take my cat unless you take my whole exhaust manifold out...haha....this may be the single biggest advantage of having a Y7 engine.
