Catalytic Converter

[Mr.Ahmed]

Hi everyone, 

Unfortunately I had the catalytic converter stolen from my car 2 weeks back. Car was parked on my driveway and the thieves stole it during the night. We don't have any CCTV or ring doorbell nor do our neighbours. 

Went through insurance, fortunately it took only 5 working days for my car to be collected, parts to be ordered and fitted. Total costs from the garage were around £1200 (£800 for parts) which my insurance will be paying. 

Just had my car delivered back to me and the car sounds normal now. 

I'm getting the Lexus Catloc fitted tomorrow. I'd advise all of you to do the same as well. I was aware of catalytic converter theft but just never thought it'd happen to me. 

[DarkoDarko]

Thank you bud, It really is the worst feeling pressing the on button and hearing that noise of no exhaust.

 

Glad you got it sorted

[steve2006]

The last thing anyone wants when under a car is for the jack to slip......except on these occasions when you really hope the thing moves or the hydraulic seals fail!

As for the CCTV or doorbell evidence apart from putting anything caught on YouTube it’s of little use in actually assisting to catch these toe rags as the police don’t want to know unless the stolen part is seen to be doing 33MPH in a 30MPH limit.

If you feel like approaching the scum a shotgun appears to trump their usual weapon of choice, the base ball bat.

All you have to wait for now is the inevitable increase in your insurance premium at renewal.

[Mr.Ahmed]

On 9/24/2021 at 6:57 AM, DarkoDarko said:

Thank you bud, It really is the worst feeling pressing the on button and hearing that noise of no exhaust.

 

Glad you got it sorted

It really is and the noise was something else. Plus you could really smell the fumes. 

[Mr.Ahmed]

On 9/24/2021 at 7:36 AM, steve2006 said:

The last thing anyone wants when under a car is for the jack to slip......except on these occasions when you really hope the thing moves or the hydraulic seals fail!

As for the CCTV or doorbell evidence apart from putting anything caught on YouTube it’s of little use in actually assisting to catch these toe rags as the police don’t want to know unless the stolen part is seen to be doing 33MPH in a 30MPH limit.

If you feel like approaching the scum a shotgun appears to trump their usual weapon of choice, the base ball bat.

All you have to wait for now is the inevitable increase in your insurance premium at renewal.

Very true, a friend of mine not too far from me noticed these scumbags trying to take his catalytic converter from his CCTV, he went outside and they told him to get back inside the house and they showed they had machetes and knives. He called the police but by the time police arrived, they'd already gone. 

[Arnett]

On 9/24/2021 at 7:36 AM, steve2006 said:

The last thing anyone wants when under a car is for the jack to slip......except on these occasions when you really hope the thing moves or the hydraulic seals fail!

Wonder if there was some way to increase the chances of that happening on these occasions.... Maybe a trip sensor on the ground and movement mechanism

On 9/23/2021 at 4:46 PM, Mr.Ahmed said:

Hi everyone, 

Unfortunately I had the catalytic converter stolen from my car 2 weeks back. Car was parked on my driveway and the thieves stole it during the night. We don't have any CCTV or ring doorbell nor do our neighbours. 

Went through insurance, fortunately it took only 5 working days for my car to be collected, parts to be ordered and fitted. Total costs from the garage were around £1200 (£800 for parts) which my insurance will be paying. 

Just had my car delivered back to me and the car sounds normal now. 

I'm getting the Lexus Catloc fitted tomorrow. I'd advise all of you to do the same as well. I was aware of catalytic converter theft but just never thought it'd happen to me. 

Thats really unfortunate 😞 Glad its sorted now. 

 

This is why modified exhaust systems should be fully legal.. Reduce the cat theft. 

[Las Palmas]

Thieves are thieves and they steal what they think can make them rich.

I believe best you can do to keep your cat is to have a tilt sensor installed; the car needs to get lifted to get the cat off. Then the siren should be self-powered and somewhere hard to get to from the outside still sounding loud outside.

[Herbie]

4 minutes ago, Las Palmas said:

Thieves are thieves and they steal what they think can make them rich.

I believe best you can do to keep your cat is to have a tilt sensor installed; the car needs to get lifted to get the cat off. Then the siren should be self-powered and somewhere hard to get to from the outside still sounding loud outside.

You can have the loudest siren in the world but the truth is, it won't stop them because they just don't care if they're seen or not.

As I've said before, from the moment their car pulls up to the moment they drive off is no more than 2 minutes tops. In, done and gone before you've even finished the phone call to the police. If you go out yourself, they blatantly wave the machete/bat/whatever at you and just tell you to get back inside.

[Las Palmas]

1 minute ago, Herbie said:

You can have the loudest siren in the world but the truth is, it won't stop them because they just don't care if they're seen or not.

As I've said before, from the moment their car pulls up to the moment they drive off is no more than 2 minutes tops. In, done and gone before you've even finished the phone call to the police. If you go out yourself, they blatantly wave the machete/bat/whatever at you and just tell you to get back inside.

Are they wearing ear protectors?

[Herbie]

51 minutes ago, Las Palmas said:

Are they wearing ear protectors?

Valid point, but just how valid I don't know.

Nicking cats is an excellent 'wage' for them and I would imagine it would take a lot to stop them. However, I could see ear defenders being in their toolkit along with the reciprocating saw, angle grinder, trolley jack and machete if they got wise to it.

[-Rich-]

Yep they stole ours with the alarm blaring out, they just don't care who sees them! 😡

[Mr.Ahmed]

Hi everyone, 

I noticed today my horn wasn't working so took it to my local mechanic to take a look. Turns out those thieves who took my catalytic converter cut the wires from the grille. 

I don't understand why the wires are so easy to get to, surely they should have been more secured. 

[Herbie]

30 minutes ago, Mr.Ahmed said:

I don't understand why the wires are so easy to get to, surely they should have been more secured.

Because when these cars were designed many moons ago, no one ever thought there would be scrotes going around cutting the wires in order to nick the cat.

[-Rich-]

51 minutes ago, Mr.Ahmed said:

Hi everyone, 

I noticed today my horn wasn't working so took it to my local mechanic to take a look. Turns out those thieves who took my catalytic converter cut the wires from the grille. 

I don't understand why the wires are so easy to get to, surely they should have been more secured. 

Did the same with ours and snapped the grille to cut the wires, but they only cut one side, which is why the alarm still sounded. 

The guy who collected the car said he's not seen one where they cut the grille, they usually use a wire coat hanger to pull the wire and sheath out, and then cut.

[Mr.Ahmed]

1 hour ago, Herbie said:

Because when these cars were designed many moons ago, no one ever thought there would be scrotes going around cutting the wires in order to nick the cat.

Very true, I hope they've changed the design now

[Las Palmas]

1 hour ago, Herbie said:

Because when these cars were designed many moons ago, no one ever thought there would be scrotes going around cutting the wires in order to nick the cat.

Could be correct. But since cars were first made, some have been going around stealing them.