Catalytic converter theft

[JaySal]

I'm starting this thread in the hope that it will draw attention of all members and help prevent us all being victims of any of those S@$t's out there who cause hard working van owners to lose parts or all of there vans. .

Fortunately I wasn't home last night but the neighbour was woken at ten past eleven when some vermin attempted to remove the CAT from his van. Not content with being chased off they returned at half one and wrapped some sort of webbing strap around it and then proceeded to drive hell for leather away from it causing the exhaust system to rip and damage the underside of the van extensively before the strap slipped and left bits of the exhaust all over the road! The CAT remained attached to the van.

Apparently Vans and 4x4's are getting hammered due to there high clearance.

This got me thinking and scanning the forum.... then I thought maybe a thread where members can share advice and SENSIBLE suggestions to try and benefit us all securing our pride and joys.

I know there is a locking bolt in the forum shop for spare wheels so members please post any other ideas and solutions which will hopefully make them leave the Vdub crowd alone and move on to those pesky fords down the road.

 

[_GB_]

There's the perfect reason for lowering your van

 

[JaySal]

There's the perfect reason for lowering your van

Im already on it GB, I have the B14's fitted but some here dont want the lowered look. Plus solutions so the van as a whole doesnt get nicked. Id like to just sit there waiting loaded but its not always viable..

 

[_GB_]

Not directed at you Jaysal but the "should I or should I not lower" brigade. Even 30mm with bars on should stop them getting underneath .

 

[Blitz]

Sorry to here that Jaysal. I’ve been used to worrying about my motorbike but now the van too. Don’t get me started. Yours is lowered but they still had a pop at it, do you have side bars fitted ?

 

[JaySal]

Sorry to here that Jaysal. I’ve been used to worrying about my motorbike but now the van too. Don’t get me started. Yours is lowered but they still had a pop at it, do you have side bars fitted ?

Hi Blitz , slight confusion, they had a go at his van, I wasn't home and my van was parked elsewhere. Its just made me rethink security as like anything its easy to become complacent. It got me thinking then, How can I protect mine underneath and the spare wheel. I dug the old disklock I had in the shed out tonight which Im going to start using. As I have a gravel drive I have thought of dropping a couple of railway sleeper with a bit of pipe through into the gravel so they cant be dragged then parking over the top so its impossible to climb under. Id still like ideas though on making life hard for thieves the times im parked elsewhere and if ideas come forward and it benefits the group then something good come out of the rodents from last night.

I've seen some sort of cage that goes over CATs to stop them being removed from other types of vehicles and wondered what security measures others employ.

 

[Blitz]

Sorry. Yes with you now.

 

[Davenjo]

Cages, etc. that secure to the vehicle together with some form of security marking will help but with the “sledgehammer to crack a nut” tactic employed above with them simply using another vehicle to rip them off I suspect you would risk a lot more damage to your vehicle than if it were allowed to break free??

 

[Loz]

They might find it difficult to get to on ours as its on the side of the engine.

 

[SofaKing]

...the neighbour was woken at ten past eleven when some vermin attempted to remove the CAT from his van. The CAT remained attached to the van.

I would say don’t leave your pets in the car, but that’s one h*** of a fighter cat still grasping on to the car...

 

[Roadrunner]

Did the guy not phone the police? Think I would have been throwing all kinds of rocks at the Bast&rd and most likely hanging around with a lump of 4x2 in case they did come back

 

[JaySal]

Did the guy not phone the police? Think I would have been throwing all kinds of rocks at the Bast&rd and most likely hanging around with a lump of 4x2 in case they did come back

Yep he phoned the Police. The second time they returned he saw them drive off in a Hyundai 4x4. No plate and lights out. The Police phoned back next day with crime number asked if any Cctv or could describe them. I think he told them they were dressed as Zorro, all black clothing and masked up. So they told him it would be filed pending any other information.

I can appreciate some may have run out with their Kung Fu skill or set land mines around their vans but I’m just trying to collect ideas to prevent any idiots trying in the first place. Has anyone any experience of cat guards or other ideas which won’t result in a prison sentence if deployed. As we all know, if he had got hold of them, he would be locked up and they would be getting a hug due to him battering them. The system stinks but I’m just trying to work within it.

Surely others have thought, about securing there stuff better?

 

[Loz]

I thought about buying a paintball gun and just pelting any tamperers with paint pellets.

 

[JaySal]

I thought about buying a paintball gun and just pelting any tamperers with paint pellets.

That thought crossed my mind too

 

[JaySal]

I think you can get a paint grenade, just roll that under the van

 

[Loz]

I think you can get a paint grenade, just roll that under the van

or..... mount the paint grenade under van with a wire attached to the cat..

 

[Roadrunner]

Ah but will it come off the van?

 

[Mooncat]

They might find it difficult to get to on ours as its on the side of the engine.

Exactly. It tends to be Euro 3 or Euro 4 vans/4x4s without DPFs that get targeted as the cat is usually under the vehicle. Our T6s (Euro 5 or 6) have the Cat bolted to the turbo outlet so it is much harder for the thieving tw@ts to get off. I had a Euro 3 Transit a few years back and the Cat couldn't have been put in an easier place to be stolen if Ford had tried! Never got touched though.

 

[Blitz]

My partners friend just had her car stolen. Looks like she had her handbag pickpocketed in the Supermarket. Car was their when she came out but no keys. She left to get her Spare set from Home and when she returned car was gone. I guess she was followed in the car park so they new where the car was.