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We sure grow 'em stupid in South Carolina.....

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by TMR-JWAP, Feb 8, 2021.

  1. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    So, as I've mentioned previously, I replaced all the catalytic converters on the family Prii with aftermarket models that are of no value for scrap. My son happens to be using my back up 2005 Driftwood Pearl car while his black 2005 is at my house awaiting ABS accumulator replacement.

    He called me while I was on my way home from work today around 5pm. Said he had gotten into the car to go to work and it was super loud................so I had him take a quick photo of the underside.

    I've apparently given thieves way too much credit, thinking they would recognize an aftermarket cat. A clamp, it's all shiny new compared to the resonator, you know, things like that....The thieves are just too stupid. The clamp was only three inches from where they cut. The dregs of society.............. I think I may just install a straight pipe for now. My poor little car......

    Stolen Cat 2-8-21.JPG
     
  2. Barsoapguy

    Barsoapguy Junior Member

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    Yep they’re not very bright . It’s why I put a cat shield on my Prius Prime . There’s less precious metal in it than a Gen1-3 cat but the thieves just see a Prius
     
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  3. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    A former landlord of mine hired a roofing crew that made their way onto the roof by taking a crowbar to a padlock hasp, then pushing open the roof access and climbing through.

    The hasp they pried off hadn't been attached to the roof access.
     
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  4. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    I suspect stupid is not exclusive to South Carolina.

    And thanks for confirming this...

    I've always raised my eyebrows at people eager to claim that thieves are discriminating enough to know an aftermarket cat with no value when they see it.

    On the bright side we don't have any confirmed thefts of cat thefts with cat shields...

    Looks like swap it, sell it and spend some of the profit on a cat shield is best practice.
     
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  5. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

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    We have a large "cat" recycling warehouse with a big sign on I-35 in Central Texas. You can buy or sell. As long as they charge sales tax Austin does not care.
     
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  6. dolj

    dolj Senior Member

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    Well, at least they didn't get the OEM cat. So you're still ahead at this point.

    Nevertheless, it still sucks though.
     
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  7. Rmay635703

    Rmay635703 Senior Member

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    I still say a grease and glitter bomb blowing in their faces would at least make you feel better

    my guess is meth heads would steal your muffler if you didn’t have a cat
     
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  8. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Problem with booby traps is they tend to not discriminate between a dishonest thief and an honest mechanic. But throwing some fireworks under a car while someone is trying to saw a cat out would be a memorable experience for them...
     
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  9. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    For the sake of timely repairs, the car was brought to the house last night and we installed a new cat system while waiting for pizza to be delivered. This time we wrote all over the cat and pipes with sharpie, lol. Mostly just funny stuff to relieve the aggravation of having a aftermarket cat stolen. Maybe the next guy will be able to read it and save everyone some heart ache. Getting some custom bumper stickers made for the car. Two different sizes. A regular size one for the rear bumper and a smaller one for putting on the sides of the car below the front doors. Should be here Monday, so I'll see how gaudy it looks. Hopefully I spelled everything correctly in my haste....ordered 25 normal and 50 smalls.

    Bumper Sticker.JPG
     
    #9 TMR-JWAP, Feb 10, 2021
    Last edited: Feb 10, 2021
  10. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    they likely can't read 2 syllable words ... better just draw pictures.
    if it's any consolation, down at the Chevy dealer just a couple hours ago - as a large commercial box truck pulled up, sounding like it was running headers. Should'a taken a picture. Big tubular exhaust, with a clear view of a 2 1/2 foot missing section of pipe - not too far in front of the muffler. This, in the low crime city of Irvine Cali.
    .
     
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  11. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    You think thieves desperate enough to run a saw under a jacked up car in the middle of the night and hope they don't get caught are able to read what you write on that cat and take that message seriously? Maybe a Cat Shield would do a better job?
     
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  12. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    Take it easy, killer.:) It's more along the lines of friends writing on someone's cast and having fun, not as an expected theft deterrent. But, if the thief reads it, maybe they'll realize they're wasting their time.

    Hopefully, no one will ever get a chance to get under the car again to worry about what they read or don't read. The part that's going to be even more fun will be the 120DB horn getting hooked up to a tilt switch that can be activated by a push button/toggle switch every time the car is parked. Supposedly the switch triggers on a 1 or 3 degree change in the position from when it's activated. The 1 degree setting may be too small. I'd hate to have it activate when someone sits in the driver seat as they first get into the car. We'll see how well it works once I get the parts and get it installed. If it works, I may play 'bait car'.
     
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  13. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    I like the tilt-switch idea!
    Almost makes me wish I lived in a high crime area.
    We don't even get porch pirates... :unsure:

    If you get a couple of nibbles on the bait-car, I'd be tempted to do something a little more kinetic, like maybe a fecal bomb or something with dye. :D

    Good Luck!
    I have many fond memories of the Palmetto State!
    I lived in South Carolina's "Low Country" for a total of 8-9 years back when I was knocking holes in the ocean, and while some parts of Charleston were NEVER what you would call a low crime area, the thought that somebody would yank a car's cat.....twice....seems a little worse than I remember the 80's being down there......but then....I lived in Seattle during the 80's too....:eek:
     
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