Making it easier to track stolen catalytic converters. Much like the rest of life, catalytic converter thieves come in all levels of skill and preparation. Sobering! Seems to me there are way too many catalytic converter thefts and really, not a real good way to prevent a "SAWZALL/GRINDER cutting wheel " from getting through such things as Stainless Steel Wire Rope - just cut off the bracket/lock. For around 30 bucks or so for a twin pack it may be worth a shot. 1993-2003 car models, specifically Honda and Ford trucks have cats that are filled with precious metals such as Rodium, Palladium, and others which, per ounce, are worth more than gold right now. Would the Millercat work on my car? You also may want to look into if your Elantra alarm has whats called a tilt sensor and / or additional vibration and shock sensors. How to prevent catalytic converter theft from a Ford F-150 But all is not lost! I looked at Miller CAT Shields but they do not make one. They do provide a sticker that a thief probably wont see when under your car in the dark, but every little bit helps. A few aftermarket companies have developed metal shields that easily bolt to the undercarriage of 2004-up Priusesand even some late-model Tacoma pickups. How to Prevent Catalytic Converter Theft The best preventive measure you can take is asking your mechanic to use welding techniques to attach the converter more permanently to your undercarriage. In some cases, an aftermarket catalytic converter will be less desirable and prevent future thefts. The first thing you should do is document the theft. Thefts of catalytic converters continue to climb at an alarming rate, and the pandemic and its resulting economic issues have made their resale value rise .css-p0u9qf{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:.0625rem;text-decoration-color:#595959;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#595959;-webkit-transition:background 0.4s;transition:background 0.4s;background:linear-gradient(#ffffff, #ffffff 50%, #FFC84E 50%, #FFC84E);-webkit-background-size:100% 200%;background-size:100% 200%;}.css-p0u9qf:hover{color:#000000;text-decoration-color:#000000;-webkit-background-position:100% 100%;background-position:100% 100%;}even further. These include: park your car in a well-lit environment, park to block access underneath, mark your cat converter, and use digital anti-theft prevention. Others go all out and make their own rebar catalytic converter cages. Catalytic converter theft is on the rise and to a shocking degree. MillerCat has been listening and expanding their line up to include Toyota Tacomas, Toyota Tundras and Sequoias, but nothing for the Honda CRV- yet. Depending on your car alarm to stop catalytic converter theft? Your username maybe be your email address. I was lucky, so to speak, in getting an immediate replacement of the converter and had to wait for the oxygen thing. There were a little under 60,000 Prius and 82,000 Toyota Tundras sold in the US just in 2021 alone, all of them high targets for expensive catalytic converter theft. Any info? To be honest, not so sure about their strategy. On Nov. 2, the Justice Department announced the takedown of a national, multimillion-dollar catalytic converter theft network. Web1. A California bill that would have required car dealers to etch converters with a vehicles unique vehicle identification number (VIN) did not pass. Bottom line, if youre looking for something off the shelf, check out the Cat Clamp. Retrieve your username. Good luck, the Catstrap is working for me since June 2021. I more questions than answers now though, but thats better than being totally ignorant! Lead Writer | Personal finance, car buying, loans. Is one of these worth it for you? In this particular model that Jay mentions (of which there are extremely similar ones on Amazon for bikes, etc.) While there is no guaranteed method of preventing theft, the goal is to make your car an unattractive target. Vehicles with ultra low-emissions are bigger targets, because they have catalytic converters that contain more rhodium, palladium and platinum that render pollutants harmless while increasing the value for thieves. Like the CatClamp above, the cables make cutting off your catalytic converter more difficult. Julie Myhre-Nunes is an assistant assigning editor at NerdWallet. Im assuming your e350 bus is on a van cutaway chassis? In New York City, the police department reported that converter thefts had risen from 211 to 802 over that same period, and jumped to 3,705 in 2021. It may help you make your own decision about buying a catshield. Ive had a few in person conversations with people whove had the same experience as above- catalytic converter thieves physically threatening the owner when caught in the act. I cant remember off the top of my head if the e350 frame measures out the same as the f-series pickup trucks, but you may want to look into that and see what kind of skid-plate options are available and if theyll cover your catalytic converter. Other alarms are designed to be activated when the car is tilted, such as when it's jacked up. The amazon link for the catclamp shows not available. Consider replacing it with a theft-resistant catalytic converter. Tips for avoiding catalytic converter theft 1. Our partners compensate us. This is 100% false. Now that mine has been stolen this past week, I see that Miller is finally making one (others makers, still not making them). We respect your privacy. The anti-theft system in an F150 functions by detecting any movement or removal of the catalytic converter. I think the MillerCat discount code is case-sensitive. If youre parking on the street, try to pick a well-lit one with plenty of traffic. We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. Theres a company which I wont even mention that is taking what looks like the same alarm, throwing in a couple 2-cent metal zip ties and a small piece of heat tape then charging twice as much as youd pay for these alarms on Amazon. Okay, if this device works it might just be groundbreaking because it's compatible with most small gas and diesel engines of any brand. Order your CatShield direct and use Discount Code : GEARIST. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. When I first started this catalytic converter obsession 5 years ago, the shops I spoke with all said the same thing: The thieves will never steal an after market catalytic converter. They took mine although I caught them in the act, they threatened me with machetes saying they would kill me if I didnt go back in my house and close the door as they were doing it on my drive literally few feet away from my front door. Where you park your car wont make a difference and where you live doesnt matter. It's your call, but if we had a Prius, we'd definitely give a shield a shot. NerdWallet Compare, Inc. NMLS ID# 1617539, NMLS Consumer Access|Licenses and Disclosures, California: California Finance Lender loans arranged pursuant to Department of Financial Protection and Innovation Finance Lenders License #60DBO-74812, Property and Casualty insurance services offered through NerdWallet Insurance Services, Inc. (CA resident license no. Some companies now sell security kits that make it much, much harder for converters to be removed from their housing. This is a good idea in general. They are usually parked at the ends of the parking lot. Short answer: It depends. Assuming a thief can access the underside of a vehicle, converters are easy to remove with battery-operated power tools, or in some cases, even simple hand tools. It will help give you a heads up if someone is poking around around your vehicle. Save products you love, products you own and much more! However, Ive seen CatClamps work on a surprising range of vehicles. Thanks. Shannon is based in Newburgh, Indiana. Why are thieves targeting catalytic converters? All email addresses you provide will be used just for sending this story. (This happened to me.). How do thieves know which converters have the rare metals and which ones dont? Let us know how it works out for you! December 2022 UPDATE: MillerCat heard about us and has offered us a discount code to pass along to our readers. MillerCat has expanded their line up to include Toyota Tacomas, Tundras and Sequioas. I laughed so hard. What to install to protect catalytic converter on 2010 Honda Fit? Park strategically. To be fair, we could see a couple of potential drawbacks with this alarmwindy nights come to mindbut at this price, it's worth a shot if you don't own a Prius. Not that this can help you now but may help someone else reading this: Miller has reworked their Prius CatShield design to help combat this theft technique, (see it here) and offers an add on for earlier shields called the Deadbolt. This is a good idea in general. Whether they going to make 1K or 100 they would still remove it. In reality, this will do nothing to stop a catalytic converter thief. Advice totally makes sense! To compound the problem, were starting to hear of stolen catalytic converters being sold and used on the secondary market not for scrap, but as replacement parts by less than honest folks. There is only 1 way you can stop it from happening and that is not to have 1. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. MORE: Update your old car with new-car tech. Let us knowtheir customer service is excellent and will look to see whats going on if theres a persistent issue. Learn More. Thanks for your support! Check out the reply to Jeffery about his E350 Bus, which is most likely a cutaway. If not in a garage, park in a well-lit area. However, some policies may require that you pay a deductible before coverage kicks in. Of course, a determined thief will just remove the guard to get to the cat, but remembercatalytic converter thieves exist because cats are easy and fast to steal. Her personal finance insight has been featured on Forbes, The Boston Globe and CNBC throughout the years. what went wrong? If theres video surveillance, thats even better. With the right combination of thief and vehicle, a catalytic converter can be stolen in less than a minute. My mechanic is currently treating a new Cat-mounted alarm but the truth is, until laws enforcement cracks down on the scrapyards and mechanics buying the illegal parts, this problem will persist and there is little that can be done. I dont think car manufacturers can cover for every eventuality that MAY happen. The office of D.A. More modern vehicles however, with better technology, their cars are mainly filled with Titanium and metals that are essentially worthless on small quantities. Talk with a trusted mechanic to see what they recommend for your vehicle. Easily compare personalized rates to see how much switching car insurance could save you. Read more. These are actually the cars targeted the most. If youre handy with those kinds of things, go for it. The payment for your account couldn't be processed or you've canceled your account with us. Install a catalytic converter protection device. So yes, go for the safe, well lit area over the dark quiet alley. Here are some tips and tricks on catalytic converter theft prevention: 1. The heavy-duty wire acts like a cage around your converter, effectively tying it to your frame. Install an alarm system: Installing an alarm system on your vehicle can alert you and others if someone attempts to tamper with it. Catalytic converters are the part of a vehicles exhaust system that helps lower emissions and reduce the negative impact automobile traffic has on the environment. In a press release, Attorney General Merrick Garland said, We will continue to work alongside our state and local partners to disrupt criminal conspiracies like this one that target the American people.. If your car is parked in a crowded place, most thieves wont run the risk of spending the extra time to defeat one of these devices and move on to an easier target. Can you tell us what year Prius you have? Then theres the not so savvy guy wholl swipe whatever he can! The catalytic converter is an exhaust system part thats necessary for your car to pass safety and emissions inspections in many states. Can you imagine crawling under the car to replace those 3x AAA batteries every 6 months or so? They are too expensive to replace as insurance doesnt usually cover everything not to mention it will be taking longer for these to be in stock due to fallout from the Ukraine invasion. If you park your car in your driveway, install some motion sensor lights (theyre cheap nowadays) and try a car alarm with a tilt-sensor and vibration detection. Shannon Bradley covers auto loans for NerdWallet. Im sure youll get a couple of Huh?s before you find one, but Im sure somebody local can help you out. 2. Park close to building entrances or the nearest road in public parking lots. You can check out Primitive Racing for skidplates, but I dont think any will protect the secondary cat thats out in the open. Catalytic converters on the underside of vehicles help reduce emissions. Any suggestions? Apply a commercial catalytic theft prevention device such as CatClamps or CAT Security. Catalytic converters use high heat to do their job, and Miller has also done thorough testing on their products to insure that your catalytic converter doesnt damage itself due to extra heat buildup. This means parking your car close to walls, curbs or fences will make theft much more difficult. Both companies focus mostly on making Toyota Prius catalytic converter shields and Honda Element catalytic converter shields. Now, you can take this documentation and use it to file a police report. Detecting Tampering. Unsurprisingly, those rare metals are worth quite a bit of money. However, if you drive a late-model Toyota Tacoma 4x4 with a 3.5L engine you're in luck because MillerCat has designed a cat shield just for you. The Cat Clamp is a unique device that uses a combination of clamps and cables to create a type of catalytic converter cage. CARFAX, a leading source of vehicle data, has identified the following vehicles as most likely to have their catalytic converters stolen nationwide: Sandman also recommends calling a local muffler store and asking what cars are the most-targeted in your area. Thank you so much!! But what really makes catalytic converters an appealing target is how easy they are to steal. Theres NAPAs cat clamp cant tell if it will fit this car or not. Some sources recommend using a high-temperature fluorescent orange paint, such as those sprayed on barbecue grills, on your catalytic converter and then inscribing your vehicle identification number in the painted surface. Which of these anti-theft devices do you recommend that would be compatible with my Subaru? Also get to know your neighbors and join neighborhood networks such as NextDoor to be aware of strangers in the area or reports of theft. If you're a Toyota Prius driver, you're in luck. You can buy the CatClamp directly from CatClamp.com or try one of the many online auto parts stores. Park in well-lit areas: Parking in a well-lit area can deter potential thieves and make it easier for you or passersby to spot any suspicious activity. Buy a catalytic converter clamp. Thieves usually have their eyes on the cars hidden from the general publics view. Entrances or the nearest road in public parking lots assigning editor at NerdWallet local can help make. 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