catalytic converters are worth stealing. I just got word that quite a few car owners in Carroll Gardens
Here is a report from Reader J. who wanted to make sure people in the neighborhood were aware:
"I am writing this morning to report a string of bizarre robberies.
We live on Union and Columbia, and went to move our car this morning for the alternate side of the street parking rules. Our catalytic converter had been stolen. Very cleanly, it was sliced out. Bummer.
We decided to make a police report in case we wanted to declare this robbery to our insurance company. The very nice woman at the Union Street Precinct front desk responded "Oh, no. Another one?" It turns out that many cars discovered on this street sweeping morning that their catalytic converters had also been stolen. As of 8:15am, they had 6 reports.
I just went to re-park my car, after the street sweeping hours and met 2 other car owners who discovered the same robbery. One of them was on the phone with his mechanic who had 4 cars in for the same problem. Crazy.
The cops said that people making reports is the only way they could hope to track these if they are sold somewhere and then possibly catch the thieves. At the least it will encourage the police to patrol and know where to focus if people give them their story.
So, I write with the hope that anyone else this may have happened to will be encouraged to file a police report. It seems that there a a lot of people out there today who could help us all with a report."
Good advice. Make sure that you call the police if you see something, or if your converter has been stolen, please file a report.
The 76th Precinct is located at 191 Union Street, Brooklyn. The telephone number is (718) 834-3211
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I'm surprised that this is a thing again. When I was young this was a popular theft item. As you may well know catalytic converters have platinum inside them and being as it only takes about 5-10 min to remove your muffler it's an easy score.
From the Nationwide insurance site:
"Since 1975, all vehicles produced in the United States must have a catalytic converter as part of the exhaust system. The catalytic converter is an emissions-control device that contains precious metals that act as catalysts. When hot exhaust enters the converter, a chemical reaction occurs that renders toxic gases, such as carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, into less harmful emissions.
With the price of precious metals skyrocketing, thieves are helping themselves to catalytic converters that contain enough platinum, palladium or rhodium to make it worth the risk to cut it from the underbelly of your vehicle. You might become aware that your catalytic converter has been stolen when your vehicle starts with a gravelly roar."
Here is an image showing where on your car it is:
http://static.ddmcdn.com/gif/catalytic-converter-location.jpg
They even sell something called the Catclamp as a lock for it
http://www.catclamp.com/
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