What is the Best Way to Prevent or Slow Down Theft of Catalytic Converters?

[Bucketlist]

I have a 2020 Escalade ESV and want to be proactive in preventing the theft of the catalytic converter. I am seeing numerous articles where these converters are being frequently stolen in every city. They either unbolt it or more frequently I read they just use a metal cut off saw and in 3 minutes they drive away with your converter.

I am looking for a metal barrier type device that bolts to the undercarriage and blocks access to the converter or at least slows access down to discourage theft. I have found a couple of custom fabricators online but they are not making a metal barrier for the Escalade yet.

Has anyone found a theft deterrent barrier for a 2015 to 2020 6.2L SUV yet?

 

[4Waters]

Rookies take 3 minutes, seasoned guys get out of the car crawl under your car cut the cat off crawl out get in their car and are driving away in 20 seconds

 

[RitcheyRch]

Do a search as plenty of companies are now starting to offer protective plates to cover the area. OR-FAB in Chino Valley, AZ made some for the Toyota Tundra that also is high on the list for converter theft. My son-in-law used to work for OR-FAB and got me a sweet deal on one of their covers. I believe OR-FAB is now out of business and the plates were picked up by another company.

 

[checkrd past]

Rookies take 3 minutes, seasoned guys get out of the car crawl under your car cut the cat off crawl out get in their car and are driving away in 20 seconds

Yep, F1 pit crews are in awe..

 

[CLdrinker]

Weld a thick piece of steel to the exhaust pipe both sides do it will take forever to cut through.


Stay away from the ghetto

 

[buck35]

Clean out the garage and park in it....

 

[monkeyswrench]

Remember the Bugs Bunny/ Elmer Fudd box trap? The one with a string tied to a stick?






Same thing, instead of a box, I hear a Prius works well

 

[SKIDMARC]

Take them out yourself, run straight pipe until its time to smog. Rinse and repeat.

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

To build on what SkidMarc said, make a quick disconnect on your catalytic converter pipe and wire it into the door locks. When you lock your car, it drops the catalytic converter to the ground, grab it with an oven mitt and take it with you.

 

[RitcheyRch]

Start shooting the thieves. Word will get out and they will stop stealing them.

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

I've seen some articles on the news about this, some places will etch your plate and vin numbers to the cat so that if its stolen it might get returned if the cops find it. Wont stop them from stealing it though.

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

Start shooting the thieves. Word will get out and they will stop stealing them.

Let's start with the graffiti bastards first. Like watching dogs mark their territory.

 

[ka0tyk]

Hard to sawzall with only 3” of room...

 

[Flatsix66]

Buy a Tesla

 

[monkeyswrench]

Wire the pin to a dummy grenade...Mad Max style
A Claymore would be more impressive, but people that know what those are aren't usually stealing converters. Grenades are universally known.

 

[copterzach]

WTF do they do with a stolen catalytic converter? Sorry never heard of this


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[grumpy88]

Finish the wall !

 

[ka0tyk]

WTF do they do with a stolen catalytic converter? Sorry never heard of this


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it gets recycled for pennies compared to its cost for replacement.

 

[SBMech]

Rookies take 3 minutes, seasoned guys get out of the car crawl under your car cut the cat off crawl out get in their car and are driving away in 20 seconds

I'll bet you $100 that no one can cut a cat out of any vehicle in 20 seconds in the manner you describe. "Out their door, under your car, cut it out and re-enter their vehicle and driving away."

P.S. I want what you are smoking....seems like good shit!

 

[SBMech]

it gets recycled for pennies compared to its cost for replacement.

They get $60 to $300 a cat for them. More like quarters....but yea, replacement if you are stuck with the factory parts is really rough. For a V8 around 3-4k just for the parts, Prius is $2400, anything factory has a huge price tag, if it can be fitted with aftermarket, you are still looking at 2-600 for each one.

 

[SBMech]

Weld a thick piece of steel to the exhaust pipe both sides do it will take forever to cut through.


Stay away from the ghetto

It would also prevent the cat from reaching temperature. That's not a solution.

Find a local welder to weld some 3/4" rebar across the area where they can get a tool up in there. A mesh so to speak.

Cost ya a few hundred., double that for V6 & V8 with dual cats.

 

[ka0tyk]

They get $60 to $300 a cat for them. More like quarters....but yea, replacement if you are stuck with the factory parts is really rough. For a V8 around 3-4k just for the parts, Prius is $2400, anything factory has a huge price tag, if it can be fitted with aftermarket, you are still looking at 2-600 for each one.

honestly its not a bad deal if you plan to keep a vehicle long term. pay your deductible and get a factory replacement hopefully that should last another 20 years? hmm, maybe ill raise my truck back up and start parking it around lbzhsz's house. hah.

 

[4Waters]

I'll bet you $100 that no one can cut a cat out of any vehicle in 20 seconds in the manner you describe. "Out their door, under your car, cut it out and re-enter their vehicle and driving away."

P.S. I want what you are smoking....seems like good shit!

Dad's neighbor was in the backyard heard the Sawzall ran through the gate and saw the car driving hauling ass away with his cat, he said maybe 10 to 12 seconds from when he heard the Sawzall. He is a contractor and really wanted to know what blade the guys were using cause it cut fast

 

[SBMech]

Dad's neighbor was in the backyard heard the Sawzall ran through the gate and saw the car driving hauling ass away with his cat, he said maybe 10 to 12 seconds from when he heard the Sawzall. He is a contractor and really wanted to know what blade the guys were using cause it cut fast

No sawzall could cut through the pipe that fast, the blades are flexible because of how the tool works.

I KNOW that even a large cutting wheel with the latest diamond tipped blade on it takes 10-30 seconds to cut through a pipe, as I do installs from thefts lol.

I has all their tools, I know their tricks, seen it all at this point.

Sure a plasma torch could do it in that time, just the cutting,...where ya going to get a 240A feed to use it though....plus the time to ground it, and get setup.

You know how victims stories get strange, the older they are, the weirder they seem, I am sure they did only hear 12 seconds of it...but the dude was under there for a few minutes.

 

[4Waters]

No sawzall could cut through the pipe that fast, the blades are flexible because of how the tool works.

I KNOW that even a large cutting wheel with the latest diamond tipped blade on it takes 10-30 seconds to cut through a pipe, as I do installs from thefts lol.

I has all their tools, I know their tricks, seen it all at this point.

Sure a plasma torch could do it in that time, just the cutting,...where ya going to get a 240A feed to use it though....plus the time to ground it, and get setup.

You know how victims stories get strange, the older they are, the weirder they seem, I am sure they did only hear 12 seconds of it...but the dude was under there for a few minutes.

F250 he wasn't under it for a few minutes. I've cut an exhaust pipe in seconds

 

[SBMech]

he said maybe 10 to 12 seconds from when he heard the Sawzall. He is a contractor and really wanted to know what blade the guys were using cause it cut fast

Did he see the mexican flag on the guy like speedy gonzales?!?! Dude...go crawl under ANY vehicle you can fit under by belly/back crawling...there is no way he HEARD the sound of cutting and in 12 seconds the guy was in his truck, out from under the vehicle, down the driveway and into another vehicle....

He'd have to be The Flash.

 

[SBMech]

F250 he wasn't under it for a few minutes. I've cut an exhaust pipe in seconds

I got a crisp $100 to put your money where your mouth is. I say it's not possible in 20 seconds. Prove me otherwise.

Start in a car, take your tool under any regular vehicle, cut the cat out, and enter another vehicle and be driving away in 20 seconds.

 

[CLdrinker]

Well seems we have found that guy that knows it all on this subject.

 

[RandyH]

My new 21 yukon denali lowers several inches when you open the door as it's deploying the running boards. It takes time and you can hear some relief valves blowing off. Would be nice if they slammed it down..low rider style. No more crawling under it.

 

[outboard_256]

I got a crisp $100 to put your money where your mouth is. I say it's not possible in 20 seconds. Prove me otherwise.

Start in a car, take your tool under any regular vehicle, cut the cat out, and enter another vehicle and be driving away in 20 seconds.

20 seconds are rookie numbers. I know a guy who's Dad's neighbor was in the backyard heard the Sawzall ran through the gate and saw the car driving hauling ass away with his cat, he said maybe 10 to 12 seconds from when he heard the Sawzall.

True story

 

[TITTIES AND BEER]

I got a crisp $100 to put your money where your mouth is. I say it's not possible in 20 seconds. Prove me otherwise.

Start in a car, take your tool under any regular vehicle, cut the cat out, and enter another vehicle and be driving away in 20 seconds.

New carbide blade every job , muff pipe maybe 30 tops , shit last weekend I had to swap out a hydrant and needed a pipe for support used a steel fence post maybe 45 sec in my shop

 

[4Waters]

I got a crisp $100 to put your money where your mouth is. I say it's not possible in 20 seconds. Prove me otherwise.

Start in a car, take your tool under any regular vehicle, cut the cat out, and enter another vehicle and be driving away in 20 seconds.

My fat ass ain't doing anything but when I was in my 20's no problem

 

[farmo83]

Buy an old car !

 

[DarkHorseRacing]

WTF do they do with a stolen catalytic converter? Sorry never heard of this


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The cat has a lot of precious metals in it, like Palladium, etc., that they extract from the cats to sell off. These metals are worth a lot more now in the current market so where before it wasn't worth the effort to steal the cat for these metals, now it is.

 

[Blubyu]

New cats off newer vehicles up to $800 depending on the the vehicle's manufacture. Used cats, on older vehicles, even ones coming apart and have failed looking at $100 - $450. Mercury, Platinum and other materials inside of them are extracted and there is a huge market right now with the new administration and not being able to get stuff from over seas that they can get from the inside of these cats. They will use anything from torches, sawzals, hack saws etc. to cut them off. This theft is done in seconds. They will pillage a neighbor hood, business complex, school etc in no time.

Good luck protecting the vehicle from the theft, aside from the vehicle being lowered and not being able to get under the car not much will stop them. Until enforcement and restriction is put on the business's buying these stolen cats its going to be a free for all for a bit. They will continue to pay top dollar and its only going to go up until they can start getting materials back into the united states.

 

[SBMech]

Well seems we have found that guy that knows it all on this subject.

Right back at ya.

 

[ka0tyk]

New carbide blade every job , muff pipe maybe 30 tops , shit last weekend I had to swap out a hydrant and needed a pipe for support used a steel fence post maybe 45 sec in my shop

This weekend when I am next to my sawzall blades I'll bring a section of 2.5" exhaust pipe. I'll use a carbide blade, a fine tooth blade, and a demo blade and see how quickly I can make two cuts.

 

[RitcheyRch]

Didn't really show how long it takes but looks like they were on a mission

Caught on camera: Thieves saw catalytic converter off Houston truck

Thieves can scrap them for up to $300, but the cost for the victims is much higher — and it is a crime that is skyrocketing in Houston.

www.khou.com

 

[lbhsbz]

Dad's neighbor was in the backyard heard the Sawzall ran through the gate and saw the car driving hauling ass away with his cat, he said maybe 10 to 12 seconds from when he heard the Sawzall. He is a contractor and really wanted to know what blade the guys were using cause it cut fast

Carbide toothed diablo. ...at least that's what I found under my truck when I recovered it.

 

[4Waters]

Carbide toothed diablo. ...at least that's what I found under my truck when I recovered it.

That will cut fast

 

[lbhsbz]

That will cut fast

I know. I used it to straighten up one of the cuts. Took about 10 seconds to go through stainless 2.5". Good shit.

 

[lakemadness]

I don’t know, maybe don’t live in a ghetto?

 

[NicPaus]

I don’t know, maybe don’t live in a ghetto?

They target the nice hoods. Same deal with the tail gate thieves.

 

[DrunkenSailor]

This was from another thread and I would love to credit the author because its still my favorite:

Cut one extension cord 4 inches from the female plug. Strip the wires and solder them to the cat. When you get home at night plug it in. Sleep tight.

 

[Travmon]

We just got one taken off a customers class C in our lot..Cock suckers ..I just want to catch a thief ONE time ..frustrating and we are not in any hood at all..

 

[Taboma]

This was from another thread and I would love to credit the author because its still my favorite:

Cut one extension cord 4 inches from the female plug. Strip the wires and solder them to the cat. When you get home at night plug it in. Sleep tight.

You do realize that all this accomplishes is a direct short right ? As soon as you plug it in, or try to, they'll be one brief flash and bang, and the breaker will trip --- if the breaker doesn't trip the receptacle will simply catch on fire and melt before your eyes, in seconds.

How do you envision this actually working to shock any CC thief ?

Now if you had let's say the HOT wire of the 120V attached to the car's frame, which would serve to conduct to the Cat, AND you had the neutral side dangling in a nice wet spot or puddle you'd left under said vehicle -- AND you did not plug into a GFCI receptacle, then yes, Mr Thief might just die under your car --- UNLESS, he was wearing dry gloves of course.

A 50,000 Volt neon sign transformer, one leg on the Cat or frame and the other grounded, will provide far more viewing pleasure, just be sure to video it, it's going to be awesome.

 

[OLDRAAT]

X2 on the neon xformer! All kinds of fuckery can be done....many options

Zapping squirrels stealing from the bird feeder is a favorite pastime. Luckily I don't live in CA or I would probably be imprisoned.

 

[DrunkenSailor]

You do realize that all this accomplishes is a direct short right ? As soon as you plug it in, or try to, they'll be one brief flash and bang, and the breaker will trip --- if the breaker doesn't trip the receptacle will simply catch on fire and melt before your eyes, in seconds.

How do you envision this actually working to shock any CC thief ?

Now if you had let's say the HOT wire of the 120V attached to the car's frame, which would serve to conduct to the Cat, AND you had the neutral side dangling in a nice wet spot or puddle you'd left under said vehicle -- AND you did not plug into a GFCI receptacle, then yes, Mr Thief might just die under your car --- UNLESS, he was wearing dry gloves of course.

A 50,000 Volt neon sign transformer, one leg on the Cat or frame and the other grounded, will provide far more viewing pleasure, just be sure to video it, it's going to be awesome.

That's why I love this site practical solutions for stupid ideas.

 

[coolchange]

I don’t know, maybe don’t live in a ghetto?

Be cause they stay in the ghetto. Lol

 

[coolchange]

Probably a vin but....
A few days ago in Santa Clarita they busted a ring of nine guys in a timed raid. Said they recovered $250,000 worth of hot .