Catalytic converter thieves

[ilikegunspdx]

I'm seeing tons of posts on these catylitic converter thieves in PDX lately. Anybody have ideas on how to stop them or do u know do they target only certain vehicles or what? Also does anyone know are these thieves typically from muffler shops, or do they sell online or?

Someone posted this video of a theft last night near 82nd in Pdx and another person posted about a similar theft at 10am on the same area. Upper right hand corner shows them stealing from a Honda Element. Looks like they took a sawzall to it. Hopefully this video isn't sideways...

FullSizeRender.mov

• ilikegunspdx
• Mar 29, 2021

Read More

 

[The Heretic]

park the vehicle inside a shelter where the thieves cannot easily get to it

My understanding (I could be wrong) is that they steal the cats to sell them to recycling centers; the cats have platinum in them?

 

[Alexx1401]

Sadly this is again what the voters wanted.
Does not matter what vehicle. It's the metals inside them that are quite valuable. Of course the real problem is the voters do not want enforcement all the way around, so Police can do little. The places buying these know full well what they are doing. If they went and started yanking business licensees from people buying these the thefts would stop as there would be no market.

 

[CountryGent]

My understanding (I could be wrong) is that they steal the cats to sell them to recycling centers; the cats have platinum in them?

As I understand it, usually that along with palladium and rhodium.

 

[SrMachoSolo]

Some catalytic converters can go for $600 or more, scrap price. A few people in my car group are offering to buy used stock converters for that shipped to them, so they must be making a profit somewhere if it's worth that much hassle.

The only way to stop it is park your car inside... or as far away from large cities as you can, but even then. One thing is for sure, police aren't going to do a thing about it.

-Robert

 

[arakboss]

I'm seeing tons of posts on these catylitic converter thieves in PDX lately. Anybody have ideas on how to stop them or do u know do they target only certain vehicles or what? Also does anyone know are these thieves typically from muffler shops, or do they sell online or?

Someone posted this video of a theft last night near 82nd in Pdx and another person posted about a similar theft at 10am on the same area. Upper right hand corner shows them stealing from a Honda Element. Looks like they took a sawzall to it. Hopefully this video isn't sideways...

FullSizeRender.mov

• ilikegunspdx
• Mar 29, 2021

"Anybody have ideas on how to stop them"

Run straight cherry bombs.

Or make them work for it:

 

[BBQ Guy]

The only way to stop the thieves is to SSS.

Then yank every single business license from the folks buying them.


You either get rid of the vermin or the hand that feeds the vermin.

 

[ma96782]

Battery operated saws all. Hummm.......seems like there is a NEED for some "reasonable and common sense" Saws All regulations/laws?

Lic/BGC to buy?
Registration requirements?
A NEW Govt agency to oversee this?
One saw per month?
Waiting period requirement?
Limitation (with BGC/Lic) on battery purchases?
Trigger locks and storage requirements?

For the future (even though the technology does not currently exist).....
Micro stamp and/or electronic ID before the saws all will operate?

OMG???

Aloha, Mark

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Battery operated saws all. Hummm.......seems like there is a NEED for some "reasonable and common sense" Saws All regulations/laws?

Lic/BGC to buy?
Registration requirements?
A NEW Govt agency to oversee this?
One saw per month?
Waiting period requirement?
Limitation (with BGC/Lic) on battery purchases?
Trigger locks and storage requirements?

For the future (even though the technology does not currently exist).....
Micro stamp and/or electronic ID before the saws all will operate?

OMG???

Aloha, Mark

Too funny. Yep, passing laws that have no common sense fixes everything (sarcasm).

 

[ilikegunspdx]

The only way to stop the thieves is to SSS.

Then yank every single business license from the folks buying them.


You either get rid of the vermin or the hand that feeds the vermin.

Totally agree. There has to be control of the recycling centers buying this stuff to create less demand/incentive for the thieving scums.

In the meantime how about high voltage charge to the exhaust system so that sawzall creates an electroshock to the user? (Kidding!)

 

[ilikegunspdx]

park the vehicle inside a shelter where the thieves cannot easily get to it

My understanding (I could be wrong) is that they steal the cats to sell them to recycling centers; the cats have platinum in them?

That makes sense. I thought they were stealing them to sell as car parts. No wonder the homeless in Pdx are stealing so many cars. The city employee I talked to said the number of cars stolen and stripped at homeless village sights is huge in this area.

 

[BBQ Guy]

That makes sense. I thought they were stealing them to sell as car parts. No wonder the homeless in Pdx are stealing so many cars. The city employee I talked to said the number of cars stolen and stripped at homeless village sights is huge in this area.

I live on a hill in the east side of town.
At the bottom of the hill on 2 sides there are large encampments with obvious vehicle stripping operations happening.
Same thing going on with bicycles. All sorts. Kids, womens, mens, and have seen some high dollar bikes.

It is ridiculous. The cops just cruise right on by.

 

[Provincial]

You would think that all the thefts would have the insurance companies up in arms because of the loss claims, and demanding that law enforcement crack down on property crime. You would be wrong.

Insurance companies are generally regulated and limited in the profit margins they can charge customers. How do you make more money in such conditions? Increase the gross revenues.

How do you increase gross revenues? Increase the payouts for loss claims. You have to increase the premiums to cover the losses, and voila! you have increased your gross revenues without the regulators opposing the price rise.

BTW, the higher gross revenues helps fund campaign contributions to the politicians that appoint the regulatory boards.

 

[BBQ Guy]

You would think that all the thefts would have the insurance companies up in arms because of the loss claims, and demanding that law enforcement crack down on property crime. You would be wrong.

Insurance companies are generally regulated and limited in the profit margins they can charge customers. How do you make more money in such conditions? Increase the gross revenues.

How do you increase gross revenues? Increase the payouts for loss claims. You have to increase the premiums to cover the losses, and voila! you have increased your gross revenues without the regulators opposing the price rise.

BTW, the higher gross revenues helps fund campaign contributions to the politicians that appoint the regulatory boards.

To your point about theft, police, and insurance companies.

I had about $1200 worth of gear stolen off my motorcycle a few years ago. Parked overnight, in my driveway, between my truck and garage door. 13 years of parking it in the same place. No issues.
Lo and behold some scumbag needed my stuff more than me.
So i called the cops. I requested an officer. After being updated for about 3.5 hours that an officer would show up. I finally received a call from the watch commander. He told me that no officer was going to respond and that it was an insurance issue.
I told him in no uncertain terms that they would be the last folks i would contact if i catch the scumbags. I asked him if he understood what i was telling him. He was silent.
I then suggested that if he wasnt willing to do his job that he may want to find another profession to work in. All was done calmly and politely.
I then wished him a good day and hung up.

I dont call the cops anymore, in the city of potlandistan.

 

[ma96782]

To your point about theft, police, and insurance companies.

I had about $1200 worth of gear stolen off my motorcycle a few years ago. Parked overnight, in my driveway, between my truck and garage door. 13 years of parking it in the same place. No issues.
Lo and behold sum scumbag needed my stuff more than me.
So i called the cops. I requested an officer. After being updated for about 3.5 hours that an officer would show up. I finally received a call from the watch commander. He told me that no officer was going to respond and that it was an insurance issue.
I told him in no uncertain terms that they would be the last folks i would contact if i catch the scumbags. I asked him if he understood what i was telling him. He was silent.
I then suggested that if he wasnt willing to do his job that he may want to find another profession to work in. All was done calmly and politely.
I then wished him a good day and hung up.

I dont call the cops anymore, in the city of potlandistan.

I was just watching TV and learned about the DA's Office in some other city (joining the revolution of inaction by elected officials). Yup the DA's Office is refusing to prosecute what they describe as, "petty crimes".

Really, not much NEWS.....because Portlandia and Seattle has already seen some of the outcome from that issue.

THEN.....
It was pointed out (by the talking news head on that program).....
That in Chicago.....shoplifting under $1000 (value worth of goods) is not prosecuted.

Really? Such a great message for those business that are in the process of re-opening.

You or I (as a homeowner/renter/someone playing by the rules).......suffering from thieves? Awww....."Forgetaboutit". AND.....don't even think about using deadly force to protect your "property". Today.....it just doesn't fly. OMG.....it's time for a music break......

Aloha, Mark

 

[The Heretic]

There is little LEOs can do about a theft that already happened. You can file a police report is they refuse to come out and you need it for insurance. They might come out if it involves firearms.

As for insurance, most people have deductibles and a cat converter isn't worth much more than the typical deductible.

Many people don't have full insurance that covers theft of car parts.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

To your point about theft, police, and insurance companies.

I had about $1200 worth of gear stolen off my motorcycle a few years ago. Parked overnight, in my driveway, between my truck and garage door. 13 years of parking it in the same place. No issues.
Lo and behold sum scumbag needed my stuff more than me.
So i called the cops. I requested an officer. After being updated for about 3.5 hours that an officer would show up. I finally received a call from the watch commander. He told me that no officer was going to respond and that it was an insurance issue.
I told him in no uncertain terms that they would be the last folks i would contact if i catch the scumbags. I asked him if he understood what i was telling him. He was silent.
I then suggested that if he wasnt willing to do his job that he may want to find another profession to work in. All was done calmly and politely.
I then wished him a good day and hung up.

I dont call the cops anymore, in the city of potlandistan.

Same here. Calling the cops is pointless imo except for the purpose of documenting that u called the cops. It's not the cop's fault (overall I mean, not talking about ur specific situation). No way they can deal with it all.

I used to listen to the scanner feed before they encrypted it and 90+% of the calls were about some homeless or druggy doing something crazy like lying in the road naked or wandering around threatening people with a machete. It is non stop all day and night. One morning there was a body that washed up in cathedral park, a shooting east of 82nd, and a shooting on the freeway all in the course of 1.5 hours and that doesn't count any of the more minor stuff. After that I stopped listening cuz it makes u sick. Here is a crime map for an average 10 day period in august 2019 (assaults and shootings only). It's probably 2-3 times worse now I would guess but these maps aren't available anymore

 

[ma96782]

Consider for a moment.....
If the PDs have no knowledge or reports......of where the crimes are occurring? How will they know where to most efficiently deploy the limited manpower?

Or......just deploy the officers evenly.

Rrrrright......so that, the PD can't or won't or will be less likely......to be accused of RACISM.

Aloha, Mark

PS.....IMHO.......you keep letting the "small stuff pass" and it will probably grow into a bigger problem. As the criminals are embolden to push their luck. Or perhaps it forces a person to act in a decisive manner, when it all could have been avoided.

Watching the Chauvin Trial.....many factors had lead to the death of Mr. FLOYD. But (note)....it's still early in the trial. Could have....should have.....would have.....

"It went from a counterfeit bill, to a man being killed, to millions of people around the nation just hurting," Hill said. "Then to people being angry and responding in a militant way and destroying, burning cities. Then to a grieving and trying to protest."
"You just think about that, all from a counterfeit bill," Hill said.
In Minnesota, the highest penalty for knowingly using counterfeit money less than $1,000 is up to 1 year in prison and a fine up to $3,000.

Taken from: https://www.sctimes.com/story/news/...th-minneapolis-counterfeit-police/5310999002/

But.....it's also a FEDERAL CRIME (and as expected, the punishment can be different).


[h2][/h2]

 

[Siglvr]

There are 2 different security additions to help slow down Cat thieves. One is a bolt on metal plate, and the other a wire cage like device. Sad there is so much thievery that folks have to resort to such things, but this is cheaper than a cat replacement.

https://getcatsecurity.com/

-and-

https://www.catstrap.net/

 

[BBQ Guy]

I dont advocate vigilantism. But folks will take care of themselves once they have had enough.

People disappear frequently. To never be heard from or seen again.