Catalytic Converter thefts in the area - 4X4 owners beware

[fredflange]

Hi

There is a new crime in town - people are sawing through the exhaust systems of 4x4's and cutting off the catalytic converter to sell the contents (platinum) to unscrupulous metal dealers (for about ?100). Our Discovery was done this weekend and the repair bill is ?750 as they need to not only replace the entire exhaust but dimantle the engine manifold as they are sawing off the pipe just as it exits the engine. It leaves the remaining part of the exhaust lying on the road surface.

According to our local garge this is the 3rd one they have had in this week. Kwik Fit said exactly the same.

They tend to do it during the day (as it looks like they are just carrying out repairs on car) and use a hand held recipricating hack saw which can cut through the exhaust in about 5 minutes. They tend to have a look out to alert the person under the car that a passer by is coming, at which point he will stop sawing momentarily.

If you see anyone underneath a 4X4 as you are looking out of your window please alert the police as they are almost deinately up to no good.

[ladywotlunches]

Oh bloody h*ll. First it was the petrol out of the scooter, now this too!

Do diesels have the same CAT? And why is it 4x4 - just because they are higher off the ground, so easier to nick without drawing attention to themselves?

Thanks for the heads up anyway!

[fredflange]

Yes - diesels have them and it is 4x4s simply because they are higher off the ground and the little gits can get under the car easily without the hastle of jacking them up first.

[ladywotlunches]

Grrr - wouldn't want them to put themselves out at all...

[jonny vantastic]

Around about this time a year ago I had 2 stolen off my van in as many weeks; one from my own driveway.

You can buy motion detector alarms, but beware, cats (as in the feline kind) can just as easily set them off as thieves.

'though at ?1500 a time to replace, it's worth the headache.

The same thieves will also be looking out for copper; we're debating replacing our outside tap with plastic pipes having verb bitten twice already.