38 replies to this topic

[traceyl]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23117250/


Stolen in 60 seconds: the treasure in your car


As prices of precious metals skyrocket, thieves are targeting an obscure component of automotive exhaust systems in lightning thefts that can be accomplished in less than a minute, police and automotive experts say.

The component is the catalytic converter, which has been a mandatory part of exhaust systems since 1975. Police across the country say they have seen a dramatic rise in thefts of the components in recent months.

If you peer inside a used catalytic converter, nothing looks salvageable, much less valuable. But some of the gray gunk in there hides three expensive precious metals.

Catalytic converters have only small traces of the metals — platinum, palladium and rhodium — but there’s enough in them for a thief to resell stolen units for up to $200 apiece. Rhodium is among the most expensive metals on Earth, commanding as much as $6,000 an ounce on the open market.

Scrap dealers “are paying top dollar — platinum, palladium, rhodium inside of them — and they’re getting top dollar” on resale, said Jack Bell of North Shore Towing, which tows vehicles for the Evanston, Ind., police.

“The word spreads real quick about it, what they’re worth,” said Marty Antonelli of Marty’s Welding and Muffler Shop in Pittsburgh. “Everybody is on them now.”

Easy to find = easy to steal
The converters are inviting targets because they’re easy to grab. Mounted on the exterior undercarriage of vehicles, they can be removed in about a minute with any standard metal cutting tool. An enterprising thief in a crowded parking lot or garage can make off with enough converters to clear $2,000 or $3,000 in half an hour.

“These thieves are targeting shopping malls, school parking lots, busy business districts, and they are hitting these places in the daylight,” said Jennifer Krings, a spokeswoman for AAA. “A lot of the large passenger cars — SUVs, trucks and vans — have two, so those are a target.”

[Common Knowledge]

Mine was almost stolen a couple weeks ago from our red toyota truck parked out front on Sterling Circle. Luckily my neighbor called the police and they were arrested.

[Suburban Pool Service]

I used to be into 4x4 Toyota's in my younger years, specifically the 22R/RE powered models. At any rate converter theft pertaining to Toyota's have been going on for more than a decade like Chris V was saying. One thing that a lot of the Toyota Guru's I used to chat with on some of the Off-Road Toyota forums would do if their truck sat outside was make it more difficult to steal by adding or welding a skid plate around the converter. This was cheap to do and quite popular at the same time as it added extra protection not only from theft but from damage off-road as one of the biggest problems with Toyota trucks & SUV's off-road is all the stuff that hangs below the frame line.

-Ryan

[DavidH]

A few weeks ago Folsom Car Care (the auto repair place on Natoma Station Drive behind Oh Brats/Ettore's) was offering free engraving of catalytic converters. Not sure if other places are doing this but I know that if I had a vehicle with an easy-to-steal cat, I'd do everything possible to deter and catch the SOBs.

[laceykc]

A few weeks ago Folsom Car Care (the auto repair place on Natoma Station Drive behind Oh Brats/Ettore's) was offering free engraving of catalytic converters. Not sure if other places are doing this but I know that if I had a vehicle with an easy-to-steal cat, I'd do everything possible to deter and catch the SOBs.

Actually the Folsom Police do this for free via a program called "operation etch n catch."

From the city newsletter of November:

Operation Etch n’ Catch

Crossing Calls for ‘Warriors’

Catalytic converters are big business for thieves
hoping to cash in on precious metals. The car parts,
used to reduce the toxicity of emissions from combustion
engines, contain small amounts of platinum,
palladium and rhodium that can be sold for thousands
of dollars.

With thefts of catalytic converters on the rise, the
Folsom Police Department is joining other law enforcement
agencies to offer free identification etching
through Operation Etch n’ Catch.

“We are working with Folsom Car Care Center to
encourage drivers to have their license plate number
etched on their catalytic converter,” said Sharon
Roloff, Crime Prevention Specialist. “We expect the
etchings to act as a deterrent to thieves and make it
easier to return the stolen parts to their owners.”

Targeted vehicles accounting for over 90 percent
of thefts in the past year include Toyota Tacomas,
Toyota 4-Runners, Izusus and other SUVs. To make
an appointment for free etching, contact Folsom Car
Care Center at 355-0490 or for additional information
call Folsom Police Department at 351-3536 or 355-
7367.

[supermom]

I think it is a great idea to etch your stuff if it is resellable--but are the stolen converters broken down and then the metal heated down to lumps or or rods for resell of precious metal? Do the police actually look under peoples vehicles to check if their converter belongs to them?

[FatBear]

I think it is a great idea to etch your stuff if it is resellable--but are the stolen converters broken down and then the metal heated down to lumps or or rods for resell of precious metal? Do the police actually look under peoples vehicles to check if their converter belongs to them?

In general, I think the theives take the unopened convertors to a recycling place... Eventually, they get melted down, but thats a ways down the road...

Not sure if the thieves could sell just the metals... Would a scrap yard know what the different metals really were if they weren't in the convertor?...

[folsom500]

Not really, plus they are being cut off.

If I remember correctly - the 4runner has a bolt on converter as do some of the other high lift vehicles that are popular to steal ... but that doesnt mean they wont cut them off if needed- just a bit more noise ...

[Steve Heard]

I think it is a great idea to etch your stuff if it is resellable--but are the stolen converters broken down and then the metal heated down to lumps or or rods for resell of precious metal? Do the police actually look under peoples vehicles to check if their converter belongs to them?

These guys aren't professional smelters. They are crack heads, meth tweakers, and general ne'er-do-wells who refuse to earn an honorable living, so they find another way to victimize us.

I really don't think that etching will help. The scrap metal dealers know what's going on. They strip down and converters and make a profit. That's the name of the game.