Indy Area Thief Alert/ Catalytic Converters

[Fishersjohn48]

NW side of Indy. Thieves stole 22 catalytic converters off of our trucks sometime Sunday night. The cameras were useless as these guys wore hoods that covered their face and seemed to know where the cameras were. Yeah, I know sounds like an inside job. This area was fenced in. It appears that they used a reciprocating saw to cut them all off. A fleet of trucks firing up in the morning with no exhaust is kinda loud.

 

[williamnewman1]

wow, definitely sounds like an inside job

 

[churchmouse]

It is really very common now. The battery powered saw-zall is a thieves best friend. Scrapers get serious money for the converters as they contain platinum and other recycle-able materials. They probably cleared over a grand for that work.

 

[mcolford]

Time to go to straight pipes all the way back now!


Sucks to hear man... Hows insurance feel about this?

 

[Fishersjohn48]

Time to go to straight pipes all the way back now!


Sucks to hear man... Hows insurance feel about this?

Well. They are trying to treat each as an individual incident so the deductible is stupid high.

 

[IndyGal65]

Wow...sorry to hear that...same thing happened to my pickup truck right in front of my house a couple of years ago. Toyota wanted to charge over $1K to replace it.

 

[jlgray]

im so sick of scrap thieves. i work at an auto repair and they got about 5k worth of radiators from out back and the tow in lot next door they got numerous batteries and converters.

 

[Randrayla]

I cant stand thieves in general but this kind of crap makes me so angry. People just trying to make a damn living or run a business and some ******* comes in and messes everything up.

I'm not sure if catalytic converter thieves or the air conditioner thieves make me more mad.

 

[churchmouse]

I cant stand thieves in general but this kind of crap makes me so angry. People just trying to make a damn living or run a business and some ******* comes in and messes everything up.

I'm not sure if catalytic converter thieves or the air conditioner thieves make me more mad.

The scrap yards take this stuff in no questions asked. I know times are hard but thieves are not acceptable. We have had numerous scrappers drive slow through the area and then an A/C unit is gone. Empty houses are their pray but they have taken from occupied as well.
I hope we do not stir up the Travon lovers but my son and I have convinced a few of these Malcontents to leave the area. Just saying.

 

[eldirector]

We've had them cut from our parking lot in the middle of a business day, also on the NW side of Indy. Security cameras have been worthless here as well.

 

[RoyalTenenbaum]

Well. They are trying to treat each as an individual incident so the deductible is stupid high.

Which insurance company will I not be patronizing?

 

[88GT]

Ours was stolen off the 4runner in 2010.

I still remember thinking to myself "Man, who owns that piece of crap car?" when Mr88GT started it up.

I would like to see the Muslim answer to theft gain a little traction here in the States.

 

[powerstrokin]

You can pick up universal catalytic converters online for a LOT cheaper than going with an OEM cat- that'll save you a ton of money.

I won't suggest just running a straight pipe in place of the cat's since it comes with a huge gov't fine if they catch you. Having said that... I doubt seriously that anyone would ever even know. (Unless your county does safety/emissions of course. Isn't there a few that do that?)

Sucks about the insurance thing. Really sucks. Maybe threatening to switch to another company will sway them into treating it as one incident. Maybe none of them would do that, I don't know.

 

[bluewraith]

Sawzall makes too much noise, in case you're thinking of hiding out and listening for it. A chain is much quieter and cheaper to buy. (not advocating theft, but these are what I have run into in the past with cat thefts)

 

[a.bentonab]

We've had some taken from the apartment complex I live in on the south side as well.

 

[ATOMonkey]

You can pick up universal catalytic converters online for a LOT cheaper than going with an OEM cat- that'll save you a ton of money.

I won't suggest just running a straight pipe in place of the cat's since it comes with a huge gov't fine if they catch you. Having said that... I doubt seriously that anyone would ever even know. (Unless your county does safety/emissions of course. Isn't there a few that do that?)

Sucks about the insurance thing. Really sucks. Maybe threatening to switch to another company will sway them into treating it as one incident. Maybe none of them would do that, I don't know.

The other downside is that no shop will touch a car that doesn't have a cat and/or the wrong cat, wrong location, etc.

I think it's $10k per violation fine.

So, you'll have to do all of your own work from then on, or find someone who thinks he can work under the radar.

 

[indytechnerd]

Well. They are trying to treat each as an individual incident so the deductible is stupid high.

Why in the hell would it be separate incidents? You've got 1 police report, right? (I'm assuming) 1 policy since they're fleet vehicles?

Which insurance company will I not be patronizing?

Agreed. I think I'd tell them that instead of paying the deductables, you were just going use that money to fix them and pay the first payment at a new insurer.

 

[Don]

They can try all they want on my Pontiac, but mine is already gone by choice. It got plugged up so I got the best flowing one they make, a chunk if 2.25" pipe.

Methbillies, you gotta love em.

 

[ddavidson]

The same thing happens in many of those business parks because those guys know that there is no one around. My cousin has had the same thing happen to trucks at his work. He works there along Executive Dr. It's a ghost town at night.

 

[churchmouse]

I had to replace the cats on my 97 Yukon. My son put some racine fuel in the tank and ruined them and the O2 sensors. The cats have to be in the exhaust as there are 2 oxygen sensors per exhaust. 1 in front and 1 behind the cat. If the cat is not there the computer will not run the engine management (fuel/air) properly and the mileage tanks. Replacement is required at least on GM's