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

Cat theft

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by lexidium, Feb 20, 2019.

  1. lexidium

    lexidium Active Member

    Joined:
    Nov 19, 2015
    228
    106
    0
    Location:
    manchester
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Had my catalytic converter stolen this week in north Manchester and within two days, my friend, who also has a gen 2 had his stolen in south Manchester.
    When I informed the police, they said that was the second report that morning.
    I wish I could catch one of these barstewards in the act.
    Of course they cut the wires on the lambda sensor and it took me a while to realise that two of the wires were crossed on the new one so that the engine light kept coming on . . . . Sometimes, being colour blind is a nuisance :(
    All back to square one now although I'm paranoid about it happening again and now I've just realised that the alarm has stopped working. Quel dommage!
     
    Data Daedalus and bisco like this.
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,693
    48,945
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    time to start arming all prius with 360 degree cams
     
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  3. kens97uber171

    kens97uber171 Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 3, 2018
    177
    132
    0
    Location:
    US
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    How did they get under the car?. I've got a set of 8 inch high roll ups and getting under it to get the cat would be possible. Because that's how I change the secondary O2 sensor. But the lambda sensor is much higher up and well before the cat. As is the wiring for it.
    Sorry that happened to you. I'm surprised they would bother with a car that's that difficult to get under when there are so many SUVs and trucks that they could just crawl under

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  4. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,105
    10,039
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    A recent dashcam video linked here showed the perp removing some form of quick jack.
    I think OP is in the other Manchester, east side of the pond. Not nearly as many SUVs and trucks there, plus a vastly lower risk of getting shot or otherwise stopped in the act.
     
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,662
    38,207
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    They're branching out, new franchise? See @Data Daedalus's thread, London thefts.
     
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  6. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    17,105
    10,039
    90
    Location:
    Western Washington
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Skibob and Mendel Leisk like this.
  7. Devdas

    Devdas Member

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2019
    135
    169
    0
    Location:
    London
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    ----UK----
    They come with a trolley jack and battery operated saw not an angle grinder it does not make much noise they cut the pipes either side of the cat the metal is not thick at all it takes under 2 minutes the alarm won’t ring as it has no tilt sensor
     
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  8. Hybridization

    Hybridization New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2018
    6
    2
    0
    Location:
    GB
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    Model:
    Business Edition
    Had the cat if the wife's geb 2 prius last night in Birmingham now trying to source a replacment
     
  9. Skibob

    Skibob Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 14, 2018
    2,912
    1,496
    0
    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  10. T1 Terry

    T1 Terry Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2015
    585
    297
    0
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    I had the CAT replaced on my ex-taxi Prius with a generic after market unit here in Australia and the cat itself was only around the $100 mark. It can't be for their rare metal value so it must be an attempt to buy the vehicle cheap so they can refit the stolen CAT and resell the vehicle as suggested by others.
    I wonder if anyone is game to fit a hidden GPS tracker to their CATless Prius before they sell it and trace where it goes and see if the thieves can be caught red-handed. Do the Police seem interested, or just going through the motions of filling a report?

    T1 Terry
     
  11. iron-icman

    iron-icman Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2016
    119
    43
    0
    Location:
    Leeds UK
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    ----UK----
    This happened to me in Leeds a few months back I feel your pain I got an aftermarket one put on to which the mechanic told me that they don’t normally bother with these as they aren’t worth that much.
     
  12. Data Daedalus

    Data Daedalus Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2013
    1,022
    1,182
    0
    Location:
    Wembley, London
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Time to start arming all Gen 2 Prii with laser weapons - the type that can easily and skilfully relieve a thief of his gonads.

    I know it’s totally illegal - don’t ruin my fantasy!!


    iPhone 6s +
     
    fuzzy1 and bisco like this.
  13. Data Daedalus

    Data Daedalus Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2013
    1,022
    1,182
    0
    Location:
    Wembley, London
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    The original OEM catalytic converter under a 2nd Gen Prius is filled with a bounty of rare metals deemed ripe for plundering by your average CAT Burglar.
    At a cost of approximately £2,000 including fitting for an OEM replacement (UK), that tells you all you need to know about the OEM Prius CAT, and why unscrupulous scummy parasites in the UK have spent the last year harvesting them with criminal malice aforethought.

    The OEM CAT is filled with Platinum, Rhodium and Palladium. The sheer amount of these metals which are used in the catalytic matrix are what these low life weasels are after.
    Scrap value in the UK is about £400.

    However, the organised crime syndicate crooks making a killing in stolen Prii catalytic converters are not stealing them to sell on as scrap; they’re spiriting them out of the country by sea cargo vessels, disguised as almost worthless scrap metal - and then extracting the rare metals abroad and doubtlessly selling on the recovered metals for a proverbial arm and a leg. Or two.

    The replacement non OEM catalytic converters are worthless to these parasitic worms in vaguely human form.

    If you have one of the latter stolen from under your Prius in the UK, the perpetrator wouldn’t be one of the original Grand Theft CAT syndicate, but instead one of our local wannabe illiterate criminals who cannot differentiate between an OEM cat bristling with untold riches, and worthless non OEM one.
    They only succeed in unwarranted damage to other Prii and financially gain NOTHING from such stupid thefts.

    Unfortunately, you can’t cure stupid.


    iPhone 6s +
     
  14. T1 Terry

    T1 Terry Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2015
    585
    297
    0
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    Plug-in Advanced
    Unfortunately, you can’t cure stupid. But well applied gaffer tape will quieten the noise it makes :lol:
    Pity they can't be caught in the act and just let the jack down on top of them and go back to bed. That might go part way towards curing the probem ....

    T1 Terry
     
    Data Daedalus likes this.
  15. Nobby Stiles

    Nobby Stiles Junior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2019
    3
    0
    0
    Location:
    Manchester UK
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I'm also in North Manchester, Moston I think it's only a matter of time before my cat goes walkies during the night