By Angry Old American
Copyright Angry Old American August 6th, 2022. All Rights Reserved.
There is an epidemic of catalytic converter thefts across the entire United States. Thieves have become bold enough to steal these devices in broad daylight, and are skilled enough to remove them in an average of 5 to 10 minutes. Once taken, it often costs over a thousand dollars to replace your catalytic converter; if you can even find one. Odds are good that your mechanic will be forced to locate a used catalytic converter; and the odds are even better that it was stolen.
There are many expensive bolt-on and welded devices available to prevent the theft of your catalytic converter, and most cost a pretty penny to have installed. Before making that kind of investment, there are a few other solutions to consider. First, park you car or truck indoors under lock and key if you have a garage. If you have no place to secure your vehicle, for under $10 you can spray paint your catalytic converter from front to back in high-heat paint. This paint will need to be removed by the thief before it can be sold; which may send them down the road for easier pickings. Another tip is to engrave your catalytic converter in several easily visible locations with your vehicle’s VIN number. These engravings can be used by police to trace a stolen or fenced converter to its owner. Once marked, the fence who buys these converters will either discount the price paid or avoid the stolen converter entirely.
Ultimately, it is our own responsibility to secure our property during our modern crime wave. If you found this information useful, share it with neighbors, friends and family. Together we can create a hostile environment for local catalytic converter thieves.
