Catalytic converter theft

[Deleted User]

I am extremely surprised at the cost of catalytic converters
Mine (Suzuki Swift) is just £45
Why would anyone want to risk being caught nicking something so worthless ?
They used to be stated 25 +years ago as costing up to £1000

coffeehound

Deleted_User said:

I am extremely surprised at the cost of catalytic converters
Mine (Suzuki Swift) is just £45

That is cheap.  I thought they contain platinum and other precious rare earth metals?

AdrianC

coffeehound said:

Deleted_User said:

I am extremely surprised at the cost of catalytic converters
Mine (Suzuki Swift) is just £45

That is cheap.  I thought they contain platinum and other precious rare earth metals?

They do.

It can be recycled...

And, yes, some are very cheap. They may be old stock being cleared, or otherwise being sold off.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133786782860

facade

Deleted_User said:

I am extremely surprised at the cost of catalytic converters
Mine (Suzuki Swift) is just £45
Why would anyone want to risk being caught nicking something so worthless ?
They used to be stated 25 +years ago as costing up to £1000

A swift actually has 2, the easily nickable one is cheap compared to that on say a prius. However £45 buys you a copy that wont last, even if it isn't stolen again.

You can add a zero for a genuine part, then there is the fitting, the new sensor, and the repair to the wires they damaged.

The answer to the bold question

• there is next to zero chance of being caught
• they are very easy to change into cash (despite what you are told about regulation of recyclers)
• you won't believe how hard a dishonest person will work for pennies, never mind pounds.

lordmountararat

• you won't believe how hard a dishonest person will work for pennies, never mind pounds.

 A friend of mine had her Beemer front window smashed it just to steal a bag of apples that was on the front seat.

user1977

lordmountararat said:

• you won't believe how hard a dishonest person will work for pennies, never mind pounds.

 A friend of mine had her Beemer front window smashed it just to steal a bag of apples that was on the front seat.

In the era of completely removeable car stereos (anybody remember lugging those around?) I had a car broken into in order to steal...the bracket from the dashboard.

Steve182

In the 80's in Slough college car park, someone with a universal Ford key (all Ford keys were pretty much universal then) opened my Cortina and stole my £10 "not screwed down" parcel shelf speakers. 

I noticed they were not working as soon as I turned stereo on, but as it was dark I didn't know they were missing until I arrived home an hour later.

Another time at college I locked my car key in my car. Went to local laundrette to ask for a wire coat hangar. The lady there knew exactly why I wanted it without any explanation by me, and I got back in my car in 2 mins!

[Deleted User]

Steve182 said:

In the 80's in Slough college car park, someone with a universal Ford key (all Ford keys were pretty much universal then) opened my Cortina and stole my £10 "not screwed down" parcel shelf speakers. 

I noticed they were not working as soon as I turned stereo on, but as it was dark I didn't know they were missing until I arrived home an hour later.

Another time at college I locked my car key in my car. Went to local laundrette to ask for a wire coat hangar. The lady there knew exactly why I wanted it without any explanation by me, and I got back in my car in 2 mins!

The 'universal key" was common place amongst most car manufacturers - especially BL based ones 

molerat

I remember in the 70s you could go into Halfords and there was board hanging up with about 50 keys on which was enough to cover 90% of all the cars in the UK.

olgadapolga

Deleted_User said:

Steve182 said:

In the 80's in Slough college car park, someone with a universal Ford key (all Ford keys were pretty much universal then) opened my Cortina and stole my £10 "not screwed down" parcel shelf speakers. 

I noticed they were not working as soon as I turned stereo on, but as it was dark I didn't know they were missing until I arrived home an hour later.

Another time at college I locked my car key in my car. Went to local laundrette to ask for a wire coat hangar. The lady there knew exactly why I wanted it without any explanation by me, and I got back in my car in 2 mins!

The 'universal key" was common place amongst most car manufacturers - especially BL based ones 

Not so uncommon in the mid 90's either. We went to the coast, parked and went off for a few hours, came back to the car, opened it with the key (remote central locking was extra back then), got in the car but couldn't figure out why it looked different. We then twigged that we were sat in the wrong car. Beat a hasty retreat (relocking the car that wasn't ours, obviously) back to our Fiesta. 

As for the catalytic converter issue, the staff at the local hospital are always having theirs stolen. Plus, last year some idiot was nicking one from a car in a garage and got crushed to death under the car he was stealing it from:

https://www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-51326361.amp?amp_js_v=a6&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQKKAFQArABIIACAw==#aoh=16247829430355&csi=1&referrer=https://www.google.com&amp_tf=From %1$s

[Deleted User]

olgadapolga said:

Deleted_User said:

Steve182 said:

In the 80's in Slough college car park, someone with a universal Ford key (all Ford keys were pretty much universal then) opened my Cortina and stole my £10 "not screwed down" parcel shelf speakers. 

I noticed they were not working as soon as I turned stereo on, but as it was dark I didn't know they were missing until I arrived home an hour later.

Another time at college I locked my car key in my car. Went to local laundrette to ask for a wire coat hangar. The lady there knew exactly why I wanted it without any explanation by me, and I got back in my car in 2 mins!

The 'universal key" was common place amongst most car manufacturers - especially BL based ones 

Not so uncommon in the mid 90's either. We went to the coast, parked and went off for a few hours, came back to the car, opened it with the key (remote central locking was extra back then), got in the car but couldn't figure out why it looked different. We then twigged that we were sat in the wrong car. Beat a hasty retreat (relocking the car that wasn't ours, obviously) back to our Fiesta. 

As for the catalytic converter issue, the staff at the local hospital are always having theirs stolen. Plus, last year some idiot was nicking one from a car in a garage and got crushed to death under the car he was stealing it from:

https://www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-51326361.amp?amp_js_v=a6&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQKKAFQArABIIACAw==#aoh=16247829430355&csi=1&referrer=https://www.google.com&amp_tf=From %1$s

I really want to say "serves him right" but that would be cruel ?