Stolen Catalytic Converter

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David Ponder

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Just got home from work a while ago.. I ride in a Car Pool in Kansas City. The 2 others in my car pool are Divorced moms, and live paycheck to paycheck. Not to say that I dont, but between my wife and I, at least we have 2 paychecks. Well, it was my week to drive, and when I drop them off I make sure their vehicles start before I leave. (LIke a good friend should) Today, one of them started her 1995 Buick LeSabre, and the exhaust was extremely loud. I looked underneath, and her catalytic converter was completely gone, about a 2 1/2 foot section of missing exhaust, cut off smooth on both ends. I stayed with her while she called the police, and they just took the info over the phone. They told her that this is an epidemic lately, and that the internal "balls" inside the cat are coated with Platinum, and the theives have found a way to get the platinum from the cat, and sell it. They told her it sells for up to $1400 an ounce!



The park & ride we use has video monitoring, (supposedly) but only one camera in the middle of the lot, and no one knows if it really works. (She has a call in to the city bus agency to ask them to give the tape to police, if there is one) Busses come and go from this place almost every 5 minutes.. I am not sure how they pulled this off, but no one we asked saw anything. This is really sad.. this close to Christmas, single mom with 2 kids. She doesnt know how she will afford to get this fixed. Anyone know someone in Kansas City that might be able to help her?



Anyway, the 3 of us are worried about leaving our cars at the park & ride on the 2 out of every 3 weeks each of us dont drive.. Does anyone have any suggestions other than leaving a Pit Bull tethered to the cars (which would land us in hot water with everyone from the city to PITA), or hiring someone to sit with them (that we couldnt afford anyway)? We used to park at the local bank building, but they told us we couldnt do that as it takes up their parking spaces. (You know, the ones at the far end of the lot that are always clean because NO one ever uses them?) We are thinking about trying Wal Mart, but that might be worse..



Any ideas or input?



Thanks all.. Dave
 
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That realy sucks. If they are going for the platinum, it takes alot of work and converters to get one troy once of it.
 
Don't know of any option other than a sensitve alarm. (that creates it's own issues)



I had a friend that bought a new Bronco (early 80s) and parked it in the lot on base. Went to work, and when he went to leave, he got in and tried to start it -- nothing. Check the battery, AOK. Get underneath, no starter. Someone had gotten underneath and removed it.



Another guy went out and found his car with no wheels and tires one time.... a week later, he sees an ad on the BB at work "4 tires and custom wheels size blah blah for sale"



Since he needs new tires and wheels, he calls and goes to see... they were his, stolen by a shipmate. Needless to say, the guy reinstalled them for him, gave him 100.00, and kissed his butt for the rest of the tour.
 
A friend's wife's car had the whole front end taken off in a parking garage at work, no one saw anything. It was a Lexus hybrid.
 
They are openly selling them on eBay...



We own a salvage / scrap yard. I buy many a day. There is no way to control where they come from. It has gotten so bad that we are now required to get a photo ID and keep record of what they bring in and what I pay them....
 
Yeah, my neighborhood got hit just a few days ago. But they were going for the Toyotas. They just unbolted them, so no noisy sawing. Plus it was foggy too.



Are our cats bolted on too?
 
I would park in the Walmart lot, among the masses of cars. If you park in the back 40 your cars will be noticed and someone will tamper with them.
 
Dave, I work at Liberty hospital in Liberty, MO and the same thing happened in the employee parking lot. The cops said they are tageting SUV's due to the fact they are high enough off the ground that they can slip under and not have to jack the car up.
 
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I live in the Melbourne, FL area and there was a story in our local paper regarding this earlier this month. Theives are targeting company parking lots like crazy.
 
If she has insurance wouldn't that cover it? It was stolen and there is a police report. That way she would only have to pay the deducatable (sp?) instead of the full replacement cost unless her deducatable is high.
 
Take it to a muffler shop and have them put on an aftermarket converter. Should be less than $150, definitely less than her deductible.
 
I suggest this to everyone I know: Set your insurance deductible on comprehensive to $0. It's only about $20 extra per term to do so, and if something like this happens, or a burglary, or hail, or a tree limb, or keying, etc., it won't cost you a dime.
 
On mine, my deductible for collision is $1k, and it's $0 for comp. Whether or not I cause an accident is the only thing that I have any control over. I can't control nature, thieves, vandals, etc.
 
Thanks Everyone.. They parked in the Wally World parking lot today.. Hopefully the cars are still there tonight. I found a universal Cat online for $52.00 with no charge for shipping. She is going to purchase that, and have a local shop add pipe and weld it on. She should come out of this well under $200



Appreciate all the responses and support, but I still cant get over how bold the theives are getting lately..:(



Maybe its time to head out of the metro area, and into the country. Dave
 
another crappy story, and just when christmas is coming. hopefully, next time the thieves get caught and roughed up!

in the industrial park i work in, there have been a rash of window breaking and the thieves were stealing portable dvd's and portable navagation systems. our parking lot was hit in broad daylight with employee's coming and going as there are so many different shifts and the smokers hang out there on their break. noone saw anything and the police said it has been increasing. make sure you hide your valuables or remove them
 

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