Recession watch: Catalytic converter thefts test car owners' mettle
Filed under: Transportation, Recession
This post is part of a series about real-life signs we're in a recession.
My brother-in-law recently wound up paying a lot more than he expected when he left my nephew's Toyota Tacoma in the Oakland Airport's long-term parking for the weekend. When he returned from his trip and turned the key in the ignition, the truck let out a roar that would deafen even the most hardened Harley driver, and David knew he'd joined the growing number of victims of catalytic converter theft nationwide.
Thieves have taken to removing catalytic converters, which help control emissions, from the underside of parked vehicles. The converters contain trace amounts of platinum and rhodium--which go for about $2,054 and $9,278 per ounce, respectively--and can be sold on the black market for a couple hundred dollars each. Victims, however, pay much more than that for replacement parts: My brother-in-law shelled out almost $2,000 for a new converter for my nephew's truck.
While David has pledged to use only short-term parking at the airport from now on, that precaution might not be enough. For one thing, trucks like the Tacoma and SUVs like the Toyota 4Runner--the vehicle David owns and drives to the train station each morning--are among the hardest hit since they sit high off the ground, making their catalytic converters easy to remove from underneath. For another, those who are of the mind to slide under a vehicle with hacksaw in hand don't seem to be picky about where they strike: Reports of catalytic converter thefts have come from day care centers in Memphis, carpool lots in Michigan and car dealerships in Ohio.
Since this is a crime of opportunity--and since thieves are grabbing every opportunity they can--prevention is tricky. Seems the best way to avoid becoming a victim is to drive low to the ground. Or maybe just ride a Harley.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
5-08-2008 @ 10:49AM
rheflin said...
This print is too small to read
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5-08-2008 @ 11:47AM
Trey said...
Hold "ctrl" and scroll up, that will make the text on web pages bigger.
7-04-2008 @ 10:19AM
Gary said...
The problem is the war in Iraq, Afaganastan and all the other bs the government is doing, which is causing the price of scrap metals to go sky high! As a builder, I have had my copper water pipes ripped out of 4 houses over the last two years. I complained face to face with the city attorney and he said there was nothing they can do about it. I went to the scrap yard and found a bin full of brand new copper pipe all bent up. I asked the guy, "Do you think these ass holes are finding this new copper on the side of the road or something?" As far as Im concerned, new copper is not scrap and this should be stopped right there, where they are buying it! The scrap people are some of the richest in America. No one is going to stop them from buying anything!
5-08-2008 @ 11:19AM
ANNA said...
YEAH THEY HIT MY SON IN LAWS DODGE TRUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY.MY THINKING IS IF THESE CRACK HEADS WOULD GET A JOB THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TO STEAL FROM HARD WORKING PEOPLE.
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5-13-2008 @ 12:36AM
Michael said...
If there were jobs out there then there would be little theft... Blame the idiots in Washington and the biggest idiot of them all George W Bush and the Bush Clan, the Oil Barons of America for not doing their jobs as true Americans...
5-17-2008 @ 11:34PM
JAMES HUNT IV said...
WHY DO PEOPLE ALWAYS BLAME EVERYTHING ON US CRACK HEADS WE ARE FOR THE MOST PART LAW ABIDING CRACK HEADS WITH WELL PAYING JOBS AND ANOTHER THING WE DO NOT DO CRACK, WE MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY TO SMOKE CRACK, CRACK IS WHACK, WE HAVE MONEY TO AFFORD HIGH CLASS CRYSTAL METH WE ARE DOCTORS LAWYERS AND COLLEGE PROFESSORS AND WE DONT HAVE TO STEAL CATALYTIC CONVERTERS IF WE NEEDED THE MONEY WE WOULD JUST JACK THE PRICE OF OUR ICE AND SELL SOME HOW DARE YOU BLAME EVERYTHING ON US CRACK HEADS
5-08-2008 @ 12:48PM
Brad said...
You are a total fool, and so is your husband. $2000 USD for a catalytic converter!? HA HA HA. Why didn't you just scrap the vehicle and buy him a new truck!? I did some quick searching and the ABSOLUTE MOST EXPENSIVE catalytic converter SYSTEM (unit, piping, everything) was $367 USD, and some complete systems were under $300 bucks. You are a D.A.M.N. FOOL. This has nothing to do with anything recession, just petty crime. Oh yea, and your automotive ignorance. You got robbed twice!
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5-10-2008 @ 11:52AM
jay said...
Who are you? Random idiot with no clue. Yes used 367.00 that's why they are stealing them. 800 t0 3000 is normal cost for a new converter. They are not cheap. My land rover has 2 @ 2500 each....
Trust me, I shop til I drop. You need to research more and post comments less.
5-08-2008 @ 12:49PM
Brad said...
Excuse me. Your brother-in-law is a fool. But you believe he had to shell out $2k, so I guess you still are too.
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5-08-2008 @ 4:25PM
rdy said...
The link to this read "Which Vehicles Are Hardest Hit". There's only a hint about the topic in the article.
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5-09-2008 @ 11:24AM
JoJo said...
I had NO IDEA that catalytic converters had trace elements of these two precious metals...I'm wondering how many people that aren't in the "business" of stealing car parts are aware of this. When people start to hear new reports of gas possibly going for 7.00 a gallon, some people may resort to things they wouldn't ordinarily do just to get by.
It's "good" to get the news out which vehicles are the easiest to get the converters out of, and how much each one of them brings.
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5-26-2008 @ 12:33AM
Brenda said...
Don't get any ideas!
5-09-2008 @ 12:53PM
Mike said...
There would be a lot less of this type of crime if the perps were shot.
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5-13-2008 @ 3:00AM
Shirl said...
AMEN
5-09-2008 @ 4:47PM
seriousaps said...
This is just the beginning. I saw on TV, a guy using a torch to cut the lock off of a gas pump. People are broke. The rule makers and deciders wouldn't know, they have never worked. Unless you call making bad decisions for others to live with, work.
Reply
5-10-2008 @ 1:12PM
John said...
I live in a very depressed area and earning minimum wage or slightly higher makes it hard to fill the tank to get to work and back and then have enough money to pay the rent and the utilities. When gas and diesel prices go higher, there will be much more of this type of crime. People will car jack cars just to get the gas and then dump the vehicle. The people who buy high stock in oil and the oil companies are the blame for all the high prices. Cost more to ship, cost more for food as the food is now being made into fuel. Sure wish some bright person would invent vehicle that ran on air and water or maybe even magnets.
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5-13-2008 @ 12:30AM
Bettye said...
There are already cars that have been invented to use alternate fuels (electric car anyone?), however, the oil and automobile industry did not promote them and the auto industry destroyed the ones that were being tested. google "Who Killed the Electric Car"
5-25-2008 @ 11:24PM
Brenda said...
They are already car jacking here in Virginia,so they don't have to walk or buy gas! You are right about the crime rates going up. Alot of home invasions and robberies here already. It is going to become so bad when the gas prices hit $5.00 and up per gallon, that the police will be busier than ever.
It is from people buying stocks and when the prices rise they buy more and more and it is creating a vicious cycle and raising gas prices!
7-01-2008 @ 11:31PM
sue said...
Yes, magnetic force is the way of the future. Solar energy and wind power are great, but Brazil is already using FLEX cars, powered by the alcohol derived from sugar cane. Progress can be made but our government has long-term investments in the fossil fuel industry that can't be ignored overnight.
5-12-2008 @ 12:38PM
cuervo said...
No Jay im afraid you are dead wrong "Magnaflow catalitic converter for 2007 toyota tacoma is $125.00 and after shipping , bolts , gasket, and welding it in your are still under $500.00 !!! The man is an idiot and got Jesse James'd by somebody or he is a liar you be the judge !
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