April 8th, 2006
Keep an Eye on Your Catalytic Converter
By Michael Santo
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews
I don’t mean keep an eye on it because there are new studies that indicate it’s going to burn up, blow up, or causes specific diseases. I mean, keep an eye on it because, at least in California, and especially Alameda County, there are a growing number of catalytic converter thieves.
Authorities say the converters contain valuable metals — platinum, palladium and rhodium — that now can net a recycler thousands of dollars on the open market.
Thieves are focusing on 1990s Toyota 4Runners, Tundras and Tacomas because the catalytic converters are easy to remove, according to police. Source: Oroville Mercury-Register
We Say: These are all pretty rare metals, but still, I didn’t think people would actually go so far as to steal a catalytic converter off a car to get them.
Mikey says:
I was under the impression that these catalytic convertors were made by electroplating the Platinum onto a ceramic honeycomb, and the amount of platinum was incredibly small. Much less metal there than you would expect. Sort of along the lines of the gold plating on all those edge connectors on those really big circuit boards for those IBM-AT’s. In other words, you’d need HUNDREDS of circuit boards just to reclaim an ounce of gold. I believe the same applies here too…
April 9th, 2006 at 4:46 am
ed3 says:
Stealing converters to reclaim the metals?!?! HA! More likely local muffler shops trying to drum up business.
April 10th, 2006 at 7:07 am
cale arthur says:
You laugh, but it happened to my girlfriend’s ‘89 Landcruiser yesterday, in a busy neighborhood in Chicago, in broad daylight, and in a (theoretically) attended lot. Looked like they used a portable grinder, and popped the CV and O2 sensors out in one shot.. seems as though idiots will stop at nothing to continue their plight of stupidity.
August 10th, 2006 at 12:22 pm
Shannin says:
This just happened to me in West Chicago Loop yesterday! My vehicle was parked in my office parking lot all day. They cut approximately 2 feet of my exhaust pipe–the exact section with the converter and O2 sensor.
August 10th, 2006 at 12:24 pm
Rick U says:
You really should do more research. This really is a growing trend in theft. There have been plenty of theft reports in my area in the past year or so.
September 17th, 2007 at 5:22 am