You've gotta be kidding me - catalytic converter cut out of car in broad daylight!

[grocerylist]

Originally Posted by P1

Again, sorry you're dealing with this. Is there a reason they go for specific cars, or are all cars potential targets for catalytic converter theft?

The Element has pretty good ground clearance so it's very easy to access the catalytic converter.

[eljay]

This sucks!
They are quick and daylight doesn't bother them:

[grocerylist]

I don't know if CO does emission testing but if not I'd just straight pipe the cat. No way I'd be spending that kind of money on an old Honda Element.

[eljay]

Originally Posted by P1

Again, sorry you're dealing with this. Is there a reason they go for specific cars, or are all cars potential targets for catalytic converter theft?

Whichever car is higher off the ground and has the cat placed perfectly for a quick hack cut works.
Trucks are a major target as the larger engines have bigger cats = more $$.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by eljay

This sucks!
They are quick and daylight doesn't bother them:

nc55vvu must have got them now unless its a dud plate.

[flybigjet]

Originally Posted by P1

Again, sorry you're dealing with this. Is there a reason they go for specific cars, or are all cars potential targets for catalytic converter theft?

Some cars are easier than others, but any car can be at risk.

Apparently the Element is extremely popular because a) it's got a high floor, so you can slither under without a jack, b) as an older vehicle, there tends to be more palladium and rhodium used than newer vehicles and c) the cat itself is very easy to get to.

[flybigjet]

Originally Posted by grocerylist

I don't know if CO does emission testing but if not I'd just straight pipe the cat. No way I'd be spending that kind of money on an old Honda Element.

CO has Emissions (at least most of the areas near Denver)-- and they follow CA's CARB rules. So, visual inspection, OBD-II reading, tailpipe sniffer and dyno at varying rpms.

[ky0u]

Originally Posted by flybigjet

and they follow CA's CARB rules. So, visual inspection, OBD-II reading, tailpipe sniffer and dyno at varying rpms.

[TiMSport]

Originally Posted by LemansE90335xi

I agree that too often the judges are either too lenient or they don't have sufficient scope within the law to be an effective deterrent but the scrap dealers that buy these obviously stolen cats have to be held accountable too. They are profiting from these crimes as well and I'm pretty sure that profiting from crime is illegal in most places.

This is one of my thoughts as well. There is no way that at least some of these scrap yards buying a crap load of catalytic converters aren't in on it. I wonder if there are ongoing investigations into some of these scrappers that have a history of buying a lot of them.

[rcracin]

Same theft has been on the uptick in NYC. I want to eliminate my land cruiser cat but i can't tolerate the smell. But a thief may end up forcing my hand eventually.

[BMWGUYinCO]

Dude,
I hope this at least adds some levity to the situation, but here is what you need to get:

[DETRoadster]

Originally Posted by P1

Folks I know have all day shields welded on in order to protect this from happening. But yes, very common unfortunately.

That being said, how good does that exhaust sound right now???

Tell us more, please. is this an off the shelf product you can weld on or is it custom fit?

[UncleWede]

Local PD sponsored 3 shops in teh area to dremel your license plate number and VIN into the CAT, free.

Online comments were "Shop A BUYS those off the street"

L

O

L

[P1]

Originally Posted by DETRoadster

Tell us more, please. is this an off the shelf product you can weld on or is it custom fit?

Not sure how my wording got messed up there. But in case you were serious, I bet it was an off the shelf product the muffler shop had.

[Hawkeye]

Damn that sucks, thankfully nothing that is really happening around me. I also remember the craze of people in TX getting their tailgates stolen when I was down there in the early 2000's. Anymore the tailgates lock, and I am sure the manufacturers of cars will come up with something for CATs if they need to.

[flybigjet]

Originally Posted by P1

Not sure how my wording got messed up there. But in case you were serious, I bet it was an off the shelf product the muffler shop had.

I've seen both. The Element, Prius and Tundra seem to have several aftermarket solutions.

The muffler shop wanted to charge me to install a custom welded one, but I ordered one of the Element-specific ones and I'll modify as required to make it fit the (now) aftermarket cat.

[DETRoadster]

Originally Posted by P1

Not sure how my wording got messed up there. But in case you were serious, I bet it was an off the shelf product the muffler shop had.

Was serious indeed. After some Googling and dragging my fat ass out to the driveway to actually look under the FJ, I can see it's not a really desirable target. Crossmember is in the way.

I'm digging some of the DIY projects I'm seeing online though!

[P1]

Originally Posted by DETRoadster

Was serious indeed. After some Googling and dragging my fat ass out to the driveway to actually look under the FJ, I can see it's not a really desirable target. Crossmember is in the way.

I'm digging some of the DIY projects I'm seeing online though!

Here you go:

https://getcatsecurity.com/

[M-technik-3]

The smarter thieves bring the cat's home, take the material out and smelt it down then sell it that way. 80's BMW's had some fantastic cat's the amount of platinum and palladium that were in em made it worth while to scrap metal em. Before E30 prices went through the roof because of drift tax.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by eljay

This sucks!
They are quick and daylight doesn't bother them:

I'd love to see that shit going on. One twist of the jack handle would...

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by M-technik-3

The smarter thieves bring the cat's home, take the material out and smelt it down then sell it that way. 80's BMW's had some fantastic cat's the amount of platinum and palladium that were in em made it worth while to scrap metal em. Before E30 prices went through the roof because of drift tax.

So what is the down-market sale of reconstituted platinum, rhodium and palladium? I doubt the common thief has the equipment at home to smelt the separate metals from the catalytic core. Who buys it? They are industrial metals.

[flybigjet]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

So what is the down-market sale of reconstituted platinum, rhodium and palladium? I doubt the common thief has the equipment at home to smelt the separate metals from the catalytic core. Who buys it? They are industrial metals.

According to my muffler guy? It's a Russian crime ring operating in a few states. In CO, as a muffler guy, he has to account for every cat installed. He said that if he takes one to a junkyard, he has to show a picture ID, give contact information and have video taken of him while that information is held for 90 days.

But, the Bad Guys steal the cats and take them to OK, since apparently there's no problem with them selling them there. (Thanks, Oklahoma!)

I got the truck fixed-- $1800 and that was a "good deal". Just think of the amount of car parts I could have had for that! Sigh.