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URGENT! CATALYTIC CONVERTER & SENSOR STOLEN

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by Sam Dean, Jan 24, 2019.

  1. Sam Dean

    Sam Dean Member

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    hey guys

    my 2007 prius had it's cat converter stolen in broad daylight - outside my house yesterday!!

    kids were traumatized and i was just confused! I thought they were some mechanics working on their own car which just so happened to be parked next to mine - i fell for it hook line and sinker... by the time i realised what they were doing - i went to run after them they were gone..

    this happened in South West London - midday

    1 - I am ordering a new catalytic converter from ebay - a generic model - i think it's by BM - are they any good?

    2 - Regarding the sensor - i will look around to see if i can find a breaker yard - alternatively i saw a generic one on ebay for £50 but unsure if this will help to turn the yellow symbol off on the dash.

    3 - Will my car be okay longterm after fitting this BM branded cat converter? Does anybody have any experience with a 3rd party cat converter on a short or longterm basis?

    4 - Finally - i believe my alarm system has been disabled - how do i turn this back on? Is there any type of protocol that i can follow? I couldn't see much on You Tube.

    Thanks for your help guys
     
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  2. Data Daedalus

    Data Daedalus Senior Member

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    Stolen catalytic converter in london uk https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?share_fid=1171&share_tid=198896&url=https%3A%2F%2Fpriuschat%2Ecom%2Findex%2Ephp%3Fthreads%2FStolen-catalytic-converter-in-london-uk%2E198896%2F&share_type=t


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  3. Data Daedalus

    Data Daedalus Senior Member

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    Hi Sam Dean, sorry to hear you’ve become the latest victim of the 5 month ongoing “Greater London Prius 2003 - 2009 model Catalytic Converter heist”.

    Please follow the thread above that I sent you, so you can get all the information that you might need about your predicament, and also become aware of just how many other Prii have been attacked in this manner.

    There’s a Eastern European Crime Syndicate presently operating with impunity in London over the last 5 months.

    These parasites have discovered that our particular model of Prius has a Catalytic Converter with a VERY LARGE AMOUNT OF PURE PLATINUM used in constructing the matrix within the CAT. Platinum is a rare metal, worth more than GOLD.

    Technically there’s a lucrative PLATINUM MINE under every Generation 2 Prius, and it can be removed in about ONE MINUTE. Multiply that by about at least 900 Prius II vehicles that have been robbed in broad daylight so far, and you can see these brazen thieves going to retire quite rich!

    They’re paradoxically taking advantage of London’s severely depleted / neutered (due to criminal austerity cuts by a stupid irresponsible government) Metropolitan Police Force. They are essentially now ineffective against most of the crime in London - and these shameless thieving parasites know it.

    Ergo, we have no law enforcement protection against this criminal syndicate as the law apparently can’t afford to protect us anymore - we’re clearly on our own.

    So, apologies for becoming the latest victim in the “War against the Prius motorist”......(by foreign invaders, no less).

    Yes, you can use aftermarket CATs to fix your Prius, though I would balk at using eBay. Try Europarts for equipment with proper certification and standards.

    Good luck!


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  4. Sam Dean

    Sam Dean Member

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    good message - thank you


    europarts are too expensive - so will have to give this unit a go


    very sad state of affairs
     
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  5. mr88cet

    mr88cet Senior Member

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    Sorry to hear that... If they’re going to steal something from your car, you’d think they’d take something a whole lot easier to remove, like hubcaps, wiper blades, wheels...
     
    #5 mr88cet, Jan 24, 2019
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2019
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  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    this is getting out of hand. you need mel gibson protecting your city
     
  7. LeonHybrid

    LeonHybrid Junior Member

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    Happened to me just before Christmas at Reading, UK while on-shift....... Pure waste of time and most important of all an annoyance having to get the part and also the Oxygen Sensor that they chopped off and the time wasted fitting it myself. As i work on these vehicles all over UK i get plenty of calls especially in the London area to then discover the CAT is missing -_-****** Very common problem unfortunately and cant be stopped :'(

    Leon
    Mobile Hybrid Repair
     
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  8. Data Daedalus

    Data Daedalus Senior Member

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    Sorry to hear you’ve become a victim too, Leon !

    Sadly, this CAN be stopped - but the relevant law authorities are probably calculating how much it would cost, and more importantly, how does their law enforcement organisation PROFIT from catching the crooks (a.k.a. “What’s in it for us...” ).
    I can appreciate that the government have literally STARVED the UK Police forces country wide of funds to do their jobs properly (in the name of austerity), but......this is the result.

    Crime now reaching out of the filthy gutters of society to metaphorically gouge at the eyes of those of us who should never have experienced a motor vehicle crime blitz like this in an allegedly civilised country.

    Paradoxically, we are cynically being brow beaten into accepting that this is now the norm.
    It most certainly should not be. Indeed, this is absolutely unacceptable, whatever dirty uncaring politics are behind it.
    A crime number and a link to a victim of crime support group for a metaphorical hug simply isn’t good enough.
    Not for the exact same crime 1,000+ times over (in about 6 months).

    Disturbingly, I suspect we haven’t seen nothing yet!
    The worst, literally, is yet to come.

    Criminals and organised crime syndicates the world over are now aware that London and the UK as a whole, is ripe for the ultimate crime spree to commence. There’s nobody to stop them.

    London is now twinned with GOTHAM.

    The lack of any incentive to catch a criminal gang who have brazenly stolen CATS from over 1,000 Prius Mark II vehicles (so far) has doubtlessly turned London - and by extension the UK as a whole into a crime magnet - it’s a Dystopian nightmare!

    If our Govt / Law enforcement leave most of the country and it’s tax paying law abiding citizens (trying to innocently go about their daily business) catastrophically unprotected the way things are right now, THE CRIMINALS WILL COME.

    It is virtually open season on all of us, one way or another. Vehicle crime, violent crime (stabbings, muggings, burglary...), online scams, even fraud via scam telephone calls! All climbing steeply.

    The only crimes that get punished are the ones where you get heavily fined for (often trivial) road traffic violations - easy pickings via automated cameras!
    (And no, I’m not bitter because I ever got prosecuted - I have a clean driving license and have never been fined).

    This is like a really, really bad episode of BLACK MIRROR (Netflix).

    Ergo, regarding crime of this nature in the UK right now, IMHO, the worst is yet to come!


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  9. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Need something like this?

    upload_2019-2-9_12-54-42.png
     
  10. Data Daedalus

    Data Daedalus Senior Member

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  11. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    It can be stopped. But then many people would assert that the wild west tactics are worse than the original criminal plague and crack down very hard on those who actually stop these criminal scourges.

    Some unions are very protective of their work, and very strongly frown upon anyone or anything else intruding upon or shrinking their monopoly entitlement.
     
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  12. Sidders

    Sidders New Member

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    I feel your pain chaps, I had my Gen II's catalyst chopped off in Chiswick a few weeks ago. left me stranded as needed to drive home with luggage and family after a holiday! I was wondering if anyone has had a cat lock fitted? I was thinking that a combination of cheaper cat lock and metal grille under the pri would be the best deterrent. Ive seen a metal grille on eBay but was around 280 including fitting..I'm sure something could be made up cheaper!
     
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  13. MDMU

    MDMU New Member

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    Someone sent me the following which suggests Toyota have come up with something. I haven't managed to verify if it's real or how good it is.
     

    Attached Files:

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  14. Nozzavtr

    Nozzavtr Active Member

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    I had one fitted to my car on Tuesday, only time will tell how good it actually is. If the truth be known, the green lock does rattle so I do hear it from inside the car, but hopefully it’ll deter a thief from stealing the cat again. Especially as my alarm was going off earlier today when I parked the car up, I have a tilt sensor fitted as well. Exhaust is still there!
     
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  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    wow, i can't believe toyota is actually on top of this. brilliant.
     
  16. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    So, why just Gen2 Cat? Is it easier than other gens to remove?
     
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  17. Data Daedalus

    Data Daedalus Senior Member

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    With a CATLOC device that continually rattles under a quiet Prius? It’s a third party device certainly NOT out of Toyota’s own R&D.
    Nice try Toyota, but no cigar.....


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  18. Data Daedalus

    Data Daedalus Senior Member

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    The OEM CAT in the Gen 2 has core matrixes of pure Platinum / Palladium / Rhodium. There’s a Platinum mine under every Gen 2 with an OEM catalytic converter.

    The replacement CATs have a core matrix engineered primarily out of ceramic material and simply plated in the prerequisite precious metals, the amount of which is a minuscule fraction of what is in the OEM CATs, rendering the replacements worthless to any potential CAT burglars.

    However, fears of copycat thefts abound by mindless morons who might be mentally challenged and incapable of identifying an OEM CAT from a replacement.


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  19. Sidders

    Sidders New Member

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    Hi did you get this fitted by Toyota or a private garage?
     
  20. Nozzavtr

    Nozzavtr Active Member

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    Hi there, Toyota fitted it directly. They are aware of the issues with the gen 2 Prius car thefts. See the attached image for reference.
     

    Attached Files:

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