1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Spike in Catalytic Converter Thefts

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Rebound, May 14, 2019.

  1. Rebound

    Rebound Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2010
    3,961
    2,609
    0
    Location:
    Portland, OR
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,862
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    good thing you moved to the land of honesty (y)
     
  3. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,039
    10,013
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    That story is four weeks old. Anything new since?

    And has anyone heard of this spreading beyond Cali? Beside the UK of course, where it is epidemic.
     
    #3 fuzzy1, May 14, 2019
    Last edited: May 14, 2019
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,474
    38,106
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    At the end of the video, he says a security cage around the CAT will make it more likely the thieves will be caught. I would think more likely they'll simply move on, to an easier target.
     
  5. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 29, 2018
    5,837
    3,137
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Hook up the hybrid battery to the cage. When he touches it, he gets zapped! :)
    Or 120VAC? Or 240????? :)
     
  6. CR94

    CR94 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2014
    2,642
    1,133
    0
    Location:
    Northwestern S.C.
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    That might zap the first cat that ducks under the car for shade, as they like to do.
     
  7. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 29, 2018
    5,837
    3,137
    0
    Location:
    Florida
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    If people will keep their cats on a leash like they should, that won't be a problem. :)
     
    hill likes this.
  8. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2005
    19,606
    8,036
    54
    Location:
    Montana & Nashville, TN
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    maybe this is why hydrogen car builders are trying to make the Platinum stack as small as possible - to reduce the amount of likely thievery.

    Joking aside - our housekeeper just had their Honda element Cat cut out, as did my sister about 2 years ago, on her Toyota 4Runner. Thieves mostly like cars that allow quick access underneath - & both of these 2 style cars sit up higher. They also have more Platinum than some other cars, & one has to wonder if that's the case with the Prius as well, even though it sits much lower.
    .
     
    #8 hill, May 15, 2019
    Last edited: May 15, 2019
  9. ETC(SS)

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

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2010
    7,668
    6,485
    0
    Location:
    Redneck Riviera (Gulf South)
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A


    ...Some assembly required.
    Works on gardens too.
     
  10. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 4, 2005
    12,544
    2,122
    1
    Location:
    SF Bay Area, CA
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Hope this isn't a repost. I learned of this via a Chevy Bolt Facebook group today dated July 31 2019:
    Thieves keep stealing catalytic converters off cars in Berkeley, police warn - SFGate

    It points to a story last updated mid-July 2019 at Catalytic converter thefts up in Davis (also California, near Sacramento, probably best known for UC Davis).

    And, my dad called me about it since my mom heard about it on Chinese TV news...

    Sigh. Perhaps besides the precious metals side, some old Priuses that are past emissions warranties might need replacements cats,. That can come from stolen ones. Gen 2 and 3 Prius were AT-PZEV and thus had a 15 year/150K emissions warranty, at least in CARB states. Not sure about gen 1.