Catalytic Converter Theft. Toyota Truck/SUV owners beware!

Hi Gary, Bend, OR - Thanks for both of your messages. They were extremely helpful. I see why you took extra time on your design. Very nicely thought out too! I like the fact it is removable and you incorporated many clever design ideas. The idea to use drilled-through csk bolts as a "tongue" for master locking the cats down was very cool. And the extra protection of the oxygen sensors sounds like a wise move. In summary, great ideas from one who "walks the talk" and has his cats protected before they're stolen.

Brad, good to hear from you. How is your Toyota doing? Mine is just fine, so far so good. The main puprpose for my plate was to deter theif while out fishing. No thanks needed for those messages, I said I'd be around for a while to help others as you have done. Take care my friend.

Brad, as a side note, I hope the smoke isn't too bad where your at. Saw a picture on a fishing site from California, and they were out fishing on the lake wearing respirators because the smoke was so thick! Said it was like smoking 5 cigars! Crazy! Said the only good thing was you don't have to smoke the fish when you get home, they're already smoked!

had both my cats stolen in Hayward in broad daylight in employee parking lot. cut them off with some kind of saw. looks as tho its happening everwhere.

Hi, Gary. My Toyota 4Runner is doing fine so far (with the cat protective device installed)! Haven't noticed any overheating of the cat converter. With the cost of gas, I've been driving as little as possible; instead, using my wife's RAV4 when I can. Yes, the last week the smoke has been quite bad. I got a sense of what it might be like to live on Mars, with the shadows cast in red light - very eerie! Breathing was bad and couldn't really open the house windows to let things cool down. But today, it seemed that the smoke was mostly gone, thank goodness. I hope fireworks don't start more fires (with the Fourth around the corner). I hope you have fun fishing soon and smoke the fish the old-fashioned way!
Good to hear from you, too, old friend, and I'll continue to monitor this message board too. P.S. and I'm glad at few people here in Sacto decided to go get cat protective devices for their trucks too. Makes me think there may be some hope left in this world.
Until next time,
-- Brad

Our company had 2 toyota truck catalytic converters stolen last night.

4Runner 97 - they saw it off on 6/30/08 at Millbrae, CA BART park and ride structure; at least one more cat had been stolen from another car that day.
I only have liability insurance and got an estimate of up to $2k at the local shop. Not even sure if I should fix it seeing how easy to loose one; though my car only gone 75K miles.
Very sad and disappointing...

Found that mine was stolen yesterday (July 2nd) at 6AM in front of my house where my 94 Toyota Pickup is parked on the street. Cleanly unbolted...they kindly left me all 4 nuts and bolts. I live in relatively quiet La Palma, CA, but no matter --- I do believe they most likely followed me into my neighborhood. Beware!

Found mine stolen this morning (July 3) from my '91 Toyota Pickup, parked on the street in front of my house. They unbolted the manifold, but used a Sawzall (probably) on the rear. This was in Petaluma, CA.
When I filed a police report, the officer just shrugged. It's happening all over.
I'm going to keep reading this thread for ideas.

There are starting to be a couple of products out there to protect against theft. My friend just put one on her truck called the CATCUFF. It's a pretty affordable anti-theft device compared to the $1200 she had to pay to fix it. I think she had it installed at an auto shop but you can buy them online at catcuff.com .

hi I just want to say it is so bad for all us I have 2003 Tacoma and someone stolen my cat converter .. I am really mad because even though the police know about they do not track the scrupulosity metal that buy this cat converter. some one have to invented something the bay guys became smarts Ass and very fast they left so clean cut in my pipes

Had my cat converter from MY DRIVEWAY July 3!!! from my 97 Nissan pickup...clean cut...I wish I could have caught the bastards. I am beyond mad! Whats the best way to replace with straight exhaust pipe? If I replace the cat conv they will probably come back and steal it again. This is a shame!!!!!

Meant to say had cat converter stolen from driveway.

park in the garage everybody.
get the junk out.

How many times do I have to say this?

My taco has been parked in my garage since last year. I'm thinking of buying the catcuff.

So I take the train to work and today, during broad daylight, some bastard cleanly sawed off my 1998 Toyota Forerunner's Catalytic converter! It was soooo loud when I started my car that I thought it was going to explode. Karma better get these jerks!! They're cutting it out for the platinum and gold that's in these. Why the heck do we need precious metals in it? And why are Toyota SUV catalytic converters not protected?!@#$(with a shield like other cars)

HomeSlice wrote:

My friend had his Catalytic Converter stolen today in RWC off Bay Rd. He called the cops and the police told him that he was one of 4 people who had their converter stolen today. all within a 5 mile radius of where he was working.
There's a couple of articles about it like this one http://www.sanmateodailynews.com/article/2007...
so be vigilant and watch your cars especially if it's tall and someone can get under it.

Topper - This should be the LAST time you have to say "Park in the garage everybody." Parking in the garage ONLY protects your vehicle while IN the garage. The moment you take your vehicle out of the garage, it is vulnerable and accessible to the cat-cutting tweakers. If you actually read the posts in this forum, you will quickly see that our vehicles are getting targeted at park and ride facilities, at business where we park our vehicles while we work, at the mall (our cats are taken in 15 minutes, outside the convenience store down the block, and in parking lots supposedly guarded by security guards. Parking in the garage is nice, but not the answer; if you're going to leave your vehicle permanently in your garage, you might as well just sell it - get rid of it!
The answer, my good friends, is in the answer to "Belmont Bast_rds" question: "Why aren't Toyota SUV catalytic converters protected - with a shield like other cars"? I've asked myself this question over and over - but I haven't asked my regional Toyota executive. Maybe we ought to file a lawsuit against Toyota and seek damages (for the millions we-all have spent repairing our stolen cats) for their negligence in design and willfully selling a "defective" product. Maybe that will get Toyota's attention.
In the meantime, I have recommended to all to get a protective device either purchased or fabricated to protect your cat. It is the best $50 to $250 investment you can make short of spending the dough on a class-action lawsuit.

Mine got stolen as well - 97 4 Runner - UUGGHH so angry - being told that it will run me about $1100 - have asked the mechanic to show me the invoice - who's to say they aren't the ones stealing it or replacing it with some aftermarket part and pocketing the difference.

Mine 96 4runner was hit Monday night and unfortunately I don't have a garage it was $600 to get it halfway fixed (they took both of my 02 sensors which I have to find the female plug part for) but there isn't anything I can do to keep it from getting taken again.:( Is stealing shit from under peoples cars really the best hustle people can come up with?

if you're going to leave your vehicle permanently in your garage, you might as well just sell it - get rid of it!

I'm going to wait 30 yrs until it's a classic.
I'll only drive it on sunny days in parades.:)