Catalytic converter thieves

[ilikegunspdx]

This is why I started that thread a while ago about "what can u do if someone is stealing ur property?" here. Many responses were similar to, "property is not worth it don't do anything".

I don't have a judgement about that point of view but at the same time I don't want to give a free pass for poeple to just come and take whatever they want. If everyone just hides in their house and lets crims steal their cars or other belongings then there is no disincentive for crims to just do that non-stop.

It seems like there should be some way to stop thieves other than walking up to them with pepper spray or threatening deadly force. I've been researching less than lethal (and also less lethal) 12 gauge rounds and it seems to me that the old reliable rock salt shell would be effective. Here is one example video where he does a pretty good job in comparing the options imo. I'm not sold on rubber bullets at all, too much potential for lawsuits. I'm still unclear on effectiveness of the pepper rounds. Just trying to learn. Also paint ball guns with pepper balls was one option that came up in that thread.

 

[Alexx1401]

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.

While I understand the frustration I hope others will be careful. The Cop who has to listen to the angry tax payers are not in charge of how they do things. They just get paid to listen to the angry tax payers.
All need to be VERY careful with making veiled threats. Many Cops will just understand. Some would report this. If you then end up in a shoot, they may well be willing to testify that you made threats, veiled or not. If you catch some scum stealing and shoot them you "should be" well within your rights to do so. Then there is the real world we sadly have to live in. Anyone who does this may be in for many years of EXPENSIVE legal battles. No this is not how it should be but, again this is sadly the way many voters have wanted it.

 

[BBQ Guy]

While I understand the frustration I hope others will be careful. The Cop who has to listen to the angry tax payers are not in charge of how they do things. They just get paid to listen to the angry tax payers.
All need to be VERY careful with making veiled threats. Many Cops will just understand. Some would report this. If you then end up in a shoot, they may well be willing to testify that you made threats, veiled or not. If you catch some scum stealing and shoot them you "should be" well within your rights to do so. Then there is the real world we sadly have to live in. Anyone who does this may be in for many years of EXPENSIVE legal battles. No this is not how it should be but, again this is sadly the way many voters have wanted it.

Thank you for your concern and warnings.

There will be a tipping point. It will be tragic. Then all the hand wringing and purse clutching will begin in earnest.

I support LEO's and their profession in general.
What I disagree with is not doing the job.
I also understand that their hands are tied. It's a difficult situation that places good folks in the middle.
At some point, somebody has to let their balls drop and stop dicking around with these criminals. It sure won't be pencil necks like squeeler or travesty the race baiter. Turd stain in Salem is spineless.
I hope they all catch a serious case of crabs and use an ice pick to kill the crabs.

 

[Alexx1401]

Thank you for your concern and warnings.

There will be a tipping point. It will be tragic. Then all the hand wringing and purse clutching will begin in earnest.

I support LEO's and their profession in general.
What I disagree with is not doing the job.
I also understand that their hands are tied. It's a difficult situation that places good folks in the middle.
At some point, somebody has to let their balls drop and stop dicking around with these criminals. It sure won't be pencil necks like squeeler or travesty the race baiter. Turd stain in Salem is spineless.
I hope they all catch a serious case of crabs and use an ice pick to kill the crabs.

YEP! I have long been saying the people who support this "let the scum run wild" are playing with fire here. Sooner or later things will explode and a lot of people will get hurt. A lot of these entitled scum get so used to being able to attack, burn, loot, and nothing will happen. Some day some of them will do this at the wrong time to the wrong person and get shot. Sadly a lot of them will have a shocked look on their face that this happened to them

 

[BBQ Guy]

Here is one of the camps near my home. Taken this morning. Tents full of who knows what. I am guessing a large portion of it is stolen.

ETA- I have seen these folks get food delivered, clothing, mattresses, other bedding materials, and clothing. Within 3-4 weeks those delivered goods become garbage and put near the curb for somebody to pick up. Rodents are frequently seen near the area during daylight hours. This camp has been in place for about a year now.

 

[31Kwiredog]

I work for a local non-profit, they even got us. Stole the catalytic off one of the vehicles and took the batteries out of another. Which is behind 8ft chain link fence topped with barbwire.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I gather it's SOP to drill a hole in the bottom of a fuel tank to get a few gallons.
My Toyota pu must've been a farm truck for a while because the cat was deleted. Thank the jesus it was only like $200 to get a new cheapie generic put in at Meineke so it would pass emissions.

 

[Alexx1401]

I gather it's SOP to drill a hole in the bottom of a fuel tank to get a few gallons.
My Toyota pu must've been a farm truck for a while because the cat was deleted. Thank the jesus it was only like $200 to get a new cheapie generic put in at Meineke so it would pass emissions.

Now that the current admin is doing all they can to make gas price take off again this will become a BIG problem. When it got to close to $5 here there was a LOT of this. It slowed way down when the price tanked. I keep hoping to read of these scum managing to set themselves on fire now drilling holes in the tanks.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Now that the current admin is doing all they can to make gas price take off again this will become a BIG problem. When it got to close to $5 here there was a LOT of this. It slowed way down when the price tanked. I keep hoping to read of these scum managing to set themselves on fire now drilling holes in the tanks.

Holy moly that's nuts! I guess pretty much all cars have anti-siphon systems on the filler now so it makes sense though.

 

[Alexx1401]

Holy moly that's nuts! I guess pretty much all cars have anti-siphon systems on the filler now so it makes sense though.

Yep thats why the scum just started drilling holes in the damn tank. So then the poor slob who owns the car has to have it towed to repair.

 

[mrblond]

This is why I started that thread a while ago about "what can u do if someone is stealing ur property?" here. Many responses were similar to, "property is not worth it don't do anything".

I don't have a judgement about that point of view but at the same time I don't want to give a free pass for poeple to just come and take whatever they want. If everyone just hides in their house and lets crims steal their cars or other belongings then there is no disincentive for crims to just do that non-stop.

It seems like there should be some way to stop thieves other than walking up to them with pepper spray or threatening deadly force. I've been researching less than lethal (and also less lethal) 12 gauge rounds and it seems to me that the old reliable rock salt shell would be effective. Here is one example video where he does a pretty good job in comparing the options imo. I'm not sold on rubber bullets at all, too much potential for lawsuits. I'm still unclear on effectiveness of the pepper rounds. Just trying to learn. Also paint ball guns with pepper balls was one option that came up in that thread.

I got 1st hand knowledge of rock salt.. used to cut though a farmers field when visiting a friend back when I was a kid. took a hit right in the back.. lucky i had my backpack on..

G.I Joe took a few casualties that day .

 

[arakboss]

Vehicle Owner 3 vs Scumbags 0

Homeowner pulls gun on accused catalytic converter thieves, thinking they were raccoons

Three people are behind bars, accused of stealing catalytic converters. But, according to the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, authorities weren't called out originally for the theft. The sheriff's office says a neighbor in the Maywood Park area saw a "suspicious" man with a gun. Turns out...

katu.com

 

[BBQ Guy]

Vehicle Owner 3 vs Scumbags 0

Homeowner pulls gun on accused catalytic converter thieves, thinking they were raccoons

Three people are behind bars, accused of stealing catalytic converters. But, according to the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, authorities weren't called out originally for the theft. The sheriff's office says a neighbor in the Maywood Park area saw a "suspicious" man with a gun. Turns out...

katu.com

I love it.
Except the following qoute:

When police and deputies arrived, the homeowner was detained and then eventually allowed to go back to his home. His firearm was also returned later on.

I understand that officers need to separate the good vs bad guys when arriving on scene. The homeowner should have never been detained and he sure as hell should have been released with his firearm on the spot as well.
Confiscation and removal of a firearm from a law abiding citizen who is likely to have a second visit from the scumbags once released doesnt seem like a good idea. When you factor in that most times these days they will not send an officer unless there is an imminent threat of loss of life being able to defend one's self becomes utmost critical.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Sweet! I'm glad he was able to hold them at gun point until the cops arrived. I saw a report yesterday on neighbors app of a grey vw toureg stealing a cat in broad daylight near 39th and se Woodstock (pic below). I wonder if it was the same people, or maybe that bmw from the other video above.

 

[BBQ Guy]

Sweet! I'm glad he was able to hold them at gun point until the cops arrived. I saw a report yesterday on neighbors app of a grey vw toureg stealing a cat in broad daylight near 39th and se Woodstock (pic below). I wonder if it was the same people m,or maybe that bmw from the other video above. View attachment 856118

We should be able to just buy a tweeker hunting tag. No limit. No catch and release.

 

[SrMachoSolo]

Thief crushed and killed by car during attempted catalytic converter theft.

-Robert

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Thief crushed and killed by car during attempted catalytic converter theft.

-Robert

Wow. Guy who got crushed had no shoes. How much u wanna bet his accomplice(s) stole his shoes? "No honor among thieves"...

 

[gmerkt]

The general disregard for property crimes, non-prosecution of thievery, issuing desk appearance tickets for same, these are all part of the decline of law and order in the US. It's just one component of an over-all breakdown.

When we read about criminal events in the news now, there is a tendency for reportage to focus on why the perp may have been driven to do his ill deeds. Not about consequences, apprehension and conviction. It's part of societal mentality. You saw it in the video above about the guy who got crushed while trying to steal a cat converter from a Prius in Calif. The interviewee who found the body went on about how he felt sorry for the guy. Myself, I can't muster a lot of sympathy for crooks who come to grief.

Law enforcement is in a distinctly defensive mode. It must be very discouraging to be in that line of work these days.

 

[The Heretic]

And yet people are put in prison for possession of crack cocaine while the same amount of powder cocaine would not.

Fair Sentencing Act - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[rickysays]

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.

Sounds like maybe you don't have any friends who are LEO, who can give you the real scoop about why they aren't able to respond to low priority crimes.

I don't know what your profession is, but in any line of work there comes a point where if your boss gives you too much to do (or in the case of our current police department, is understaffed due to budget limitations) you have to start prioritizing what you work on.. and other things drop off the radar.

Please don't assume that he's not willing to do his job. There are a half a dozen other higher priority crimes that police have to respond to with limited staff. They can't attend to lower level crimes. Not that they don't want to... they just plain don't have the time.

And personally (even though it would suck to have a catalytic converter stolen from any of my vehicles) I'd rather have police available to handle life threatening crimes in their limited bandwidth schedules.

Regardless of whether is was done calmly or politely, I still don't think it was fair to call that officer out and accuse him of something that most likely is completely out of his control, and most likely is just as discouraging and frustrating for him as it is for you.