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PSA: Flat cat shield not enough in San Francisco

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Accessories & Modifications' started by lovemy05prius, Apr 19, 2022.

  1. lovemy05prius

    lovemy05prius New Member

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    Hi there,

    I had a cat shield installed on my Gen 2 Prius when thefts where at a fever pitch a year or so ago. At the time it seemed like that would be enough. Well I learned the hard way this past week that that's not the case anymore. Thieves have learned how to cut the exhaust and pull the cat out behind the plate. I called the shop I bought the plate from and had it installed in and another specialist shop (neither in SF itself but in the Bay Area) and neither had heard of a catalytic converter theft with a shield in place. But I then called a hybrid specialist in SF and they had. They told me that now Toyota supplies them with a front and back plate that turns the flat shield into a kind of cage. They said they had not heard of thieves defeating that, yet...

    So once I get my car from the shop I am going directly to get those extra plates installed.

    If you are in a high crime area and think your flat shield is enough I urge you to investigate the front and back plates/cage option and/or other accessories to help slow down criminals.

    I know that with determination and time thieves will get what they want, but we might as well make it as hard as possible for them and hope that the cutting wakes up someone that calls the cops or something.

    Stay safe out there!

    -Prius owner
     
    TGrracie, sanma0, Merkey and 2 others like this.
  2. Another

    Another Senior Member

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    This is the new MillerCat model
     

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  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Good reason to clear a space in the garage too, if practical.
     
  4. Another

    Another Senior Member

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    Yeah I have a garage but as concerned these days just at the shopping mall where thieves now roam with impunity
     
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  5. JahT

    JahT Member

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    I just heard about thieves getting wise to this method. I recently put the cheaper aluminum eBay flat Cat shield on, but I am working on adding a tilt or proximity sensor to the factory alarm. Most all dealers add their "alarm box" to the factory alarm and put a shock sensor on it, but the shock sensor isn't enough to trigger by someone jacking up the car. I know alarms are useless unless you are within earshot, but it is another level of deterrence I can do for not much money.
     
  6. Another

    Another Senior Member

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    Supposedly with some flat shield designs the thief can cut the pipes and slide the cat out. Not sure how that works but that’s the report. The new MillerCat design tries to prevent this.
     
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  7. lovemy05prius

    lovemy05prius New Member

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    Indeed that’s why I posted because that happened to me… they just cut some more stuff out of the exhaust towards the rear and pulled back and down… then they somehow got the cat out… when I did get back from the repair shop with the new plates added I took a walk and saw some other poor Prius Gen 2 owner driving down the street engine roaring and I could hear pipe dragging under the car… moreover, on the day my car got towed the tower told me my car was the third Prius he picked up that morning and told me to get a new car! If the thieves get the cat out of this cage I might call it quits on the Prius which is sad as I had invested a lot in that car so it would make it to 300k miles and I’m only at 190k or so now… never had a thing go wrong on this car and it’s sad thieves will bring it to a premature end… I really dread getting some other car I’ve loved this Prius :(
     
  8. Another

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    The problem is at least twofold
    First the lack of law enforcement nationwide to catch these scoundrels just entices more theft. Seems it could be made illegal to resell OEM cats and prosecute the scrap yards which are easier to find.
    Second, the CARB regulations that mandate only OEM or very expensive aftermarket cats when other options meet federal standards makes repairs uneconomical.

    I’m getting a new MillerCat complete design stainless shield installed as a deterrent in a week or so. If that doesn’t work, then I’ll just sell the car too. My insurance would pay for the replacement but in the end they’d jack up my premium anyway.
     
  9. mr_guy_mann

    mr_guy_mann Senior Member

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    I wonder how emissions inspectors would be able to see the cat? Those vent grills don't look that big.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  10. Another

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    Where I live it doesn’t matter if it is visible, a call or email to MillerCat probably would answer your question. They answer emails within an hour, pretty amazing service.
    After getting it installed Saturday at my local Toyota shop I immediately noticed the whole exhaust sound was noticeably quieter. Very nice product.
    Am anticipating vandalism if a perpetrator can’t get to the catalytic converter now. Such is life.
     
  11. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Yeah that’s crossed my mind too.
     
  12. theGlass

    theGlass Junior Member

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    Ugh. I'm up in the Oakland Hills, and someone took my converter from my car, parked in my driveway for 2 hours yesterday afternoon. We had been keeping the car in the garage at night since the first theft, 2 years ago. I am...livid.

    Looking at the new MillerCat above, if I were a thief, I'd use a sawzall just below the mounting points. I suppose I'll get a MillerCat like that but will augment it with some stuff to make those rear points more difficult to access to saw off. I've got the tools and the MOTIVATION to do this. This is the last converter they get from me.

    Also to the above, a neighbor of mine down the street had a plate installed on his car and sure enough when they found they couldn't take his converter they kicked his front grille.

    Good luck out there folks. Wouldn't wish this on anyone. I'd recommend a good shield to any Prius owner at this point.
     
    Merkey likes this.
  13. Another

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    Until there are no places to sell the converters, they’ll keep stealing them. I never see follow up press reports on the supposed crackdown on buyers when they’re caught with hundreds of converters. Initial report that they’re arrested but never convicted it seems.

    CaRB states exacerbate the problem by mandating high value converters.

    In many cities the police no longer respond to converter theft in progress 911 calls. They’re afraid they will go to jail if they have to shoot a thief.
     
  14. cosmokramer

    cosmokramer Junior Member

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    [QUOTE="theGlass, post: 3255387, member: 144131"

    Looking at the new MillerCat above, if I were a thief, I'd use a sawzall just below the mounting points. I suppose I'll get a MillerCat like that but will augment it with some stuff to make those rear points more difficult to access to saw off. I've got the tools and the MOTIVATION to do this. This is the last converter they get from me.
    [/QUOTE]

    Yeah I've been hit 3 times in Socal. I was looking at the new MillerCat design but I had the same concern about the vulnerability of those rear points. Did you end up going with this new design? If so, did you modify in any way to beef up the security here? I'm really at a loss for what shield to go for at this point, and I doubt my ins company will cover another converter.
     
  15. Another

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    My experience with MillerCat support is that they reply to pre-sales questions within an hour or two. Maybe you should email them and express your concerns about vulnerability and see what they say.
    I suspect nothing will stop a thief from trying or resorting to vandalism even if the cat can’t be taken. My deductible is $100 on theft or vandalism.