Catalytic Converter Theft. Toyota Truck/SUV owners beware!

[San Diego]

Two cat converters and oxygen sensors taken from Toyota 4-Runners parked in our employee parking lot within the last 2 weeks- in broad daylight beneath the eyes of our "fine" security folk. Mine was stolen from my 95 4Runner, thought I had an exhaust leak - It was a nice clean cut, probably portable saw. Dealer said "tow it here and we can do it for $1200 - this is the 7th or 8th case they've seen within the last few months - file a claim with auto ins. and just pay the deductible" (older car so my comp deductible is $500). Neighborhood mechanic installed one for $225. It sucks - find myself looking underneath truck everytime I get in it - who would of thought???

[Devin]

My '91 SR5 4WD truck has had it's converter stolen twice now, right in my driveway with lights on the front of my garage. I'm waiting on a check from my very understanding insurance company as I type. Luckily, they unbolted them. I'm near Riverside California.

Let's start posting ideas about how to prevent this. I've thought of:

Tack wending it on, so they don't notice the welds until they've taken the time to unbolt it.

Using allen head bolts so they might not be as prepared when they slide under than they thought they were.

Coming up with some sort of "shield", that even once the bolts are out or the pipes cut, makes it difficult to get the converter out.(this is my focus at the moment, if I do come up with something I'll let you guys know)

Is there any alarms that would sense someone actually touching the vehicle, kinda like those living room lamps that respond to a finger touching them?

A note for anyone with an alarm. If you hear a noise and have the slightest hint that someone might be messing with your vehicle, use the remote to trigger the panic function.

[Lise]

Me too. My 97 Toyota Land Cruiser. On the parking lot of the Elementary school where I work. Between 9:00 am and noon. We have a state of the art video camera system and people walking in and out of school all day. Why is it going to cost me $3,300?

[Amie]

My 93 Toyota 4-Runner had the cat converter stolen off of it a few months back. It was parked in front of my house and I remeber hearing a noisy car pull up and park on my block about 2am and then start up and drive off about 20 minutes later. When I got up in the morning to move my truck it sounded horrible when I started it. I thought I had a bad exhaust leak. I drove it down the street to my mechanic and he said, "I heard you coming from down the street, is that your truck making that noise I thought it would be a big diesel work truck". He looked under the truck and said that someone had stolen my converter. I flashed back to the middle of the night when I heard that car pull up and then drive off, that was who stole it! If only I would have looked out my window I could have stopped the person who was under my truck stealing it! Well $400 later and some welding to prevent this one from being stolen , i'm back on the road with a new cat converter :)
The thief will get thiers in the end i'm sure!

[John]

Well, The bastards got mine too. My 2004 Tacoma was parked downtown Dallas in a parking lot on the 4th floor. On the first floor is a Dallas Police sub station. Show's you how bold they are. I had a labtop stolen in my office this year too. While I was in another room getting coffee. Crime affects us all. We all need to call our representatives in congress and see if we can get a bill passed to punish those that buy these converters. All of us need to something more than blog.

[chase]

My Cat was stolen of my '89 4runner in early august 2007. I had never heard of such a thing until i started talking to auto shops and telling my story. It's ridiculous. anyone come up with a good deterrent? I also had my 4runner stolen by someone with a set of 80s toyota keys. I club it now, but still worry about it. any suggestions?

[Russ]

Mine was stolen yesterday from my 96 Tacoma in broad daylight while parked on a busy street. The slimeball apparently used a battery powered reciprocating saw. My friend owns a muffler shop and recommended it be replaced with a generic aftermarket converter since they do not bring a very high price at the scrap yard. Maybe the jackasses will leave it alone.

[david87]

We've had some recent theft of catalytic converters in Southern Maryland as well. Seems like its happening alot here lately, never heard of this before.

[vicky]

yup, mine was stolen, too. i went to the nearby food 4 less. fifteen minutes later, i started my 94 4 runner and it sounded horrible, like some REALLY LOUD lawn mower. i didn't even know what it was, until my brother-in-law checked it out and noticed that my cat converter was gone. what kind of people do this? someone should plant bait and leave a couple of 4 runners parked together and just watch to see who does this and kick the hole crap out of them!

[Tim Costa Mesa Ca]

A neighbor stopped by to ask me if i had my cat stolen...I was one of 3 in the neighborhood..In my driveway...Says $208.00 is ceapest online one i can replace it for in Calif + welding...ouch

[Kaylynne]

Im shocked.. all over the country to hundreds of other people too?!?! Just this past friday my 1990 Toyota Pickup truck got robbed of its cat converter too!! While it was parked in the METRO blue line (in Long Beach, CA) parking lot!! Unbelieveable.. It only cost me $120 to get a brand new one welded on.. you people need to compare prices before spending all this money!! Anyways those people are absolute losers with no life and obviously unable to handle a job. I'm scared to leave my truck even in front of my house..

[Kaylynne]

Another thing for toyota trucks... an OB1 should be veryyyy much cheaper than an OB2.. dont be tricked.. my 1990 TOYOTA PICKUP 4WD IS AN OB1!! and it cost me only $120... and OB2 at the shop i went to was only $220.

[mrblue]

Mine just got stolen last night in the San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles..I have a 1995 4Runner....oh well!

[Araceli]

Orange County, California here.....:( some ahole stole my Cat Con just the other day. sucks ass... i hate people who steal! ughhhhhhhhh an i jus bought my 01 Toyota damn it.

[Javs]

My girls Dad just got cat stolen last week south L.A. The best thing to help prevent this is to get an alarm with a radar sensor which will let you know when someone is too close to your vehicle.

[CurbRunner]

Toyota is aware of the extent of this problem because it's happening all over the country.
If they really wanted to engineer a more theft proof converter assembly they could do that.
I don't really think they're inclined to do that however because as it is, they make big bucks selling their over-priced replacements.

[CurbRunner]

Javs said:
"The best thing to help prevent this is to get an alarm with a radar sensor which will let you know when someone is too close to your vehicle."

Car alarms are a useless rip-off.
Noise made by car alarms have become nothing more than an annoying background noise in communities that police never respond to and the thieves know this.

Also, it doesn't take anything more than a farting dog walking by the vehicle to set it off.

[sancie]

Mine was stolen today at work. Toyota service dept said i was the 5th person today that had it stolen! I wish I could protect it somehow.

[sancie]

Im afraid to drive it to work now. The SOB knows how easy it was the first time. He could come back next week and take it again!!!

[Wendy]

Got hit last night in westside Santa Barbara. The police dispatcher said "how bizarre" we just had a report of another 95 4 runner on the east side of town got it's cat stolen also....I told her to be prepared to get alot more calls as the morning goes on. The thieves were kind enough to leave the bolts on the ground. I'm afraid to replace it as they might just come back next week and steal the replacement. We have to park in front of the house, so it's an easy target.*&#$#!!!!