Beware of catalytic converter thieves!

[bsmoore]

My wife and I had finished eating at The Olive Garden in Mesquite, Texas, this past Saturday around 8:30. We were getting ready to leave when, after starting my 2004 GMC Sierra Z-71, noticed it was sounding very similar to a dirt track race car. Further inspection revealed that someone had attempted to steal my catalyic converter on the driver side (there are two). The would-be thief (thieves) must have been on crack because they didn't finish the job and left the blade from a reciprocating saw stuck in the exhaust pipe just before the cat. converter. There was an on-duty police officer working security at Hooters across the street. He came over to investigate because he saw me under the truck with a flashlight and he thought that I might be a thief. He did a police report and took fingerprints off of the blade. He also took fingerprints off of a similar truck next to mine where someone had left lots of prints on the rocker panel, but they didn't touch the cat. The officer said that it has become a serious problem in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, and that it has become as widespread as copper theft. I thought that I was going to get out with only some welding being done to repair the pipe on either side of the cat, but the dumbass cut right into the O2 sensor, making it impossible to replace the sensor in the future. The muffler shop gave me an estimate of around $800 to replace the whole system, so now I'm waiting on the insurance company to call me back. I will definitely be on the lookout for others and be more aware of suspicious activity around cars and trucks. What will I do if I catch someone in the act? Crush their head between the bumper of my pickup and a brick wall, then send it to their mother, of course. Hanging them from an oak tree will work, too, just like they used to do to horse thieves.

I hope this raises some awareness. Any other horror stories like this?

[Redneck Rebel]

wow thats pretty ballsy... wouldnt sawing off a cat make a ton of noise?

[tatoodkelt]

That's actually become an issue a little up the road from me in Baltimore. Back at the end of summer there was a used car dealership that had 20-30 of the cars cat's cut off.

This is also the same town over the summer that had a group of guys cutting down street lights to scrap the aluminum poles. :crazy:

[probuilder1]

yea they are doing it because they are getting good money because there is platinum inside the cats. They had better rethink trying to get mine, I will drag them behind my truck. haha

[Bigg G]

It's a big problem here in and around Annapolis Maryland too. The crackheads have been hitting the new car lots and fleet lots and hacking away. I work hard for a living everyday so I have major issues with anyone that steals. I'd be that person you read or hear about that started up my truck and purposely drove over a crackhead **oopss** for trying to steal my shyt.

[oldred95]

Last summer a group of theives cleaned out a school bus/car pool parking lot in OKC. They made off with something like 20 or 30 cat converters. I guess its a good thing I don't have any on my truck.

[20Silverado]

First I've heard of that! But I'm not surprised. Crime these days just seems to get more bold and strange every day!

[thecodeman]

Wow, that's crazy!

[loudnproud99z71]

That has happened at a few places around the area where I live also. I just replaced the y-pipe and cats on my truck (not because of theft). You can get the whole assembly new on ebay for around $350 if you decide to do it yourself.

[Bob T]

I had a Datsun 2000 roadster (rather rare) and had somebody crowbar the hood to steal the AIR FILTER.

[oldred95]

I had a Datsun 2000 roadster (rather rare) and had somebody crowbar the hood to steal the AIR FILTER.
Only you would have an experience like that.



I'm told catylitic converters are made of pure unobtainium. Explains why they are so sought after.

[vb02]

Wow That would tick my to come out to some thing like that.

[Bob T]

The Datsun 2000 air filters (and other parts) are rather expensive and hard to find. They go for about $35 to $100.

The production run was rather short. They only made enough of them to meet the SCCA "production car" rules. When the 240Z hit the market it was very popular; the Datsun sports car production then went to all Z cars.

[adversary]

Only you would have an experience like that.



I'm told catylitic converters are made of pure unobtainium. Explains why they are so sought after.

:aniteef:

[thiems]

Thieves would be pissed when they got under my truck looking for cats...

[FordeatinZ71]

oh man that really sucks...i'd heard about that kinda crap, didn't realize it was that close to me...i don't have 'em on my truck either...and they won't ever be...

[Mudfever]

They caught some theives cutting off some cats at my work. I am pretty sure a security guard or cop caught them. This was a few weeks ago at LSUHSC in Shreveport.

[bthomas454]

thankfully i drive a lowered truck, good luck getting under mine

[ksukats57]

what did the wife say about the sound? If she liked it id say keep it that way.

[DarkCharisma]

:wtf:

That's probably the dumbest thing I have ever heard of. Goddamn crack heads get stranger and more desperate every day it seems. I'd be pissed as a muthaf*cka.

Although mine rattle like a b!tch and throw codes. :D

[thiems]

:wtf:

That's probably the dumbest thing I have ever heard of. Goddamn crack heads get stranger and more desperate every day it seems. I'd be pissed as a muthaf*cka.

Although mine rattle like a b!tch and throw codes. :D
Considering sometimes you can get up to about $100 for each cat then you can see why it would be an easy money-making crime...

[Bob T]

Cats and airbags seem to be the "fillets." Big money for both.

[tatoodkelt]

If they take mine they'll be surprised. Both of mine are gutted. :cool:

[DarkCharisma]

Considering sometimes you can get up to about $100 for each cat then you can see why it would be an easy money-making crime...

Wow, I had no idea.

[firestorm]

Not to long ago, and soon after I heard about this happening, I came across ads offering $75 per cat on Craigslist. When I saw that, I became worried. I don't see any on there now, so maybe Craigslist has banned them.

[neevnav]

This is why vigilante justice needs to be legalized.

[19doug90]

Cats and airbags seem to be the "fillets." Big money for both.

air bags is old news, but ive never heard of idiots trying to saw used cats off of a car. Does seem like it would be insanely noisy, just asking to get caught.

The stupidity is borderline hilarious, that is it would be if people werent getting screwed because of it

[71_bigblocknova]

well, someone need to inform those crackheads that not all cats contain platinum. Maybe these theivings are why.

[mike3770]

This happened to a couple of truck in the school parking lot a while back, luckly mine was not one of them:eek:

[beater truck]

This is why vigilante justice needs to be legalized.

I think that a crime like this needs to happen to a f-n' liberal, so they will get outraged and want some justice. Maybe we can get the thieves to target Volvos, Forester wagons and Prius's?

[40ozman]

Huge problem with 4runner and toyota trucks in NorCal right now

[567234ta]

so they will climb under a car with a hacksaw for a few bucks but wont apply for a job at midas:whatever:

[thiems]

so they will climb under a car with a hacksaw for a few bucks but wont apply for a job at midas:whatever:
Considering that you can make a couple hundred bucks in a matter of minutes, yes...

[Drumaniac3000]

Cats and airbags seem to be the "fillets." Big money for both.

I know a few guys around here with shaved tailgates that have been stolen. They can have my cats, they are in need of replacing anyway.


Jason

[Sierra H/O]

Send them to steal mine. If it costs enough to replace the system, just take the insurance money, and get long tubes and high flows.

[GarnerZ]

that pretty damn low to do something like that

[whitesilvy]

that sux

[PHATSPEED7x]

can't steal mine. I don't have one.

[thebigo432]

They can have the pipes that i put in place of my cats :aniteef: But that is pretty low to go around and steal a converter, that has to be rather loud, if i saw someone under my truck i would beat their head in. What next are people gunna start stealing?

[Tdoggstripes]

I know a few guys around here with shaved tailgates that have been stolen. They can have my cats, they are in need of replacing anyway.


Jason
Locking bedcover will solve the tailgate problem right away.

[FordeatinZ71]

Locking bedcover will solve the tailgate problem right away.


ehh, why be nice about it? just run some electric fence wire inside that mofo...with a remote-arming device...:eek:

:LOL:

[whitesilvy2000]

this is al gore's fault

[Tdoggstripes]

ehh, why be nice about it? just run some electric fence wire inside that mofo...with a remote-arming device...:eek:

:LOL:
So crazy it just might work.