Educate me about catalytic convertor theft

MagicBoy said:
Catloc is the one approved by Toyota. If you get a stolen cat replaced they include it now. Tamper proof bolts, security marking etc. I see it mainly a deterrent similar to the steering wheel or gearlever type locks used to irritate the TWOCers in the 90s. Security marking isn't worth anything if the Police don't try and catch them.

I've seen other third party ones that weld extra metal bars to the edges of the plates and use steel cables around the cat to further increase the nuisance factor. More likely to be a nuisance to the owner that has to replace the exhaust!
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Yeah, Catloc sell them directly to Toyota and Mercedes, and I’m sure now somebody mentioned it we did do some for a Honda jazz recently.
The Catloc ones we do are generally 2mm stainless for the main body and 4mm stainless brackets. They use coach bolts to affix the so that you can’t get a spanner on to just easily unbolt it. The Toyota ones are pretty big.
I’m sure I can recall one lad saying when they get the designs approved at Catloc, and have a set amount of time it has to hold up to somebody trying to remove it.
 
Gaygle said:
Just hoping one day the car falls off the jack and crushes the ****ers. Honda Jazz, Prius' and Sprinters are all targets. A lot of Eastern European gangs involved in this area and obviously our traveller friends have a hand in it from time to time too.
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That would be some sweet sweet karma.

Someone posted a video on here not long ago, of some "types" who parked up in the middle of the road in broad daylight, and 3 guys jumped out, 1 jacked the car up, the other jumped under it with probably an electric saw whilst the other was on the lookout.

I think they had the car jacked up, the cat off, and the jack back in the boot quicker than an F1 team could do a wheel swap. There was even a car stuck behind them waiting for them to move off the road.
 
Email just arrived for staff -

Friday 12 February 2021

Catalytic converters theft
UHNM are aware of a recent increase in the theft of catalytic converters from cars in the area of the Royal Stoke, we are assisting Staffordshire Police with their investigations. Staffordshire Police are asking owners of these vehicles to be asked to be extra vigilant:
· Buy catalytic converter alarms or metal cages, which can be fitted around the catalytic converter to act as a deterrent
· Use marking kits for catalytic converters, which are available and can help police identify them at scrap yards or on suspect vehicles
· Park in other areas that make it difficult for would-be thieves to access the underside of the vehicle (particularly the front end)
 
It'll start becoming a real problem soon. Especially if the number of people out of work increases etc, then you'll get some that will resort to this.

It'll be like back a number of years ago with fuel thefts.
 
Had it happen to my Toyota Auris Hybrid last year, left it in the carpark in Cambridge, came back and it was gone. Never heard of it before then, but it is a real problem, they did a spate in Cambridge that week, did quite a lot in the Hospital, park and ride. I got mine replaced and I have had it fitted with a Catloc, but it is always in the back of my mind given when I park the car.
 
Mr_Sukebe said:
And NONE of the drivers thought that it might be a good idea to challenge the scum?
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probably worried that he may attack them with something these type of criminals dont care about being approached there not trying to hide they see themselves as entitled. doesnt make it right but if you approach and they pull a jack handle or knife or god forbid a gun your in **** creek without the paddle and the police will just say you shouldnt tackle them. about time we had more police to catch them ,but i guess thats another can of worms:)

as regards cutting out the middlemen thats why the police want you to mark the cats etc, we went through a similar stage a few years back with radio thefts, i had a roaring trade engraving reg numbers inside the lids for owners and actually quite a few people were caught.
saying that we used to decode radios when ownership was provided and you would be surprised how many we took out of cars that owners needed recoding and found code labels still fitted to the radios, rather defeated the object.


just to add we used to also put our little black and yellow labels on the sets we decoded or repaired and one night the police turned up at the door and asked if we had worked on such and such a radio with/serial number xx, luckily i had my day books with me and after about a hour i found the s/n and linked it to a customer and a vehicle reg.

seems they caught a guy in birmingham with a sierra est and over a hundred sets in his car.... seems very fishy and i believe he later had charges dropped through lack of evidence grrrrrrrrrrrrr.
 
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Mr_Sukebe said:
And NONE of the drivers thought that it might be a good idea to challenge the scum?
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Lay one finger on them and you most likely get charged with assault..:(..Plus you don't know what weapons these scum are carrying...

Am also wondering if that black astra was his mate and blocked the road so no one could chase or follow him
 
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Had it happen to my Auris in December, I was aware it happening but thought it was just Priuses the scums were targeting. Cost me around £600 in excess and fitting a catloc, as well as a hike to my insurance premiums. As I was about to sell the car anyway I had to get the repairs done properly else I would have just got a straight pipe fitted and kept driving the car.
 
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