The theft of certain parts of the car is as plausible as the theft of a vehicle. This is possible because stealing the whole car can be more complex, and the chances of getting caught are high. But stealing a part is not that difficult, and the chances of getting caught are low. Upon that, the car has many expensive pieces that one can steal easily and sell quickly, but the victim can be financially by a few thousand dollars. One such component of the car is the catalytic converter.
What is a catalytic converter?
The catalytic converter is a car component that is used to filter out pollutants. The vehicle emits many toxic pollutants, and the catalytic converter is used to convert these into less harmful waste. This is especially necessary to do to protect one and all.
Is it necessary to have a catalytic converter?
The use of these components is usually mandated by either the environmental laws or health and safety regulations. But in the USA, it is indispensable to have a catalytic converter to be able to take it to the road. That is to say, it is illegal to be driving without a cat-con, and you can be fined for it. There are certain grey areas on really old models, but still, it is better to ensure that your car has a catalytic converter.
Why is this component at risk of theft?
The component contains many expensive elements, including rhodium, palladium, and platinum. These elements were present in larger quantities in the older cars, and they were more at risk of having their cat-con stolen. But the ones installed in newer cars are stolen. Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation has become more grave. The lockdown put a halt to the mining, and this led to the scarcity of these metals, and their prices surged high. At a point, their prices were even higher than the cost of gold per which was dallying around at 1800 dollars an ounce. This makes this component quite lucrative a steal for thieves.
Why is the rate of theft so high?
The catalytic converter is bolted to the bottom of the car, and in rare cases, it is welded too. A thief can simply get under the car and rip it off in a few minutes and earn thousands by selling it off. The high ground clearance in cars like SUVs makes it even easier for them to do this job. The welded cat-con can also be hacked off, but this is even more alarming for the victim as doing this can damage other parts of the car, which can be dangerous and also result in added costs.
Tips to protect your car and its Catalytic Converter Theft Prevention:
1) Know if you are a target
Call a nearby store and try to know which all models are being targeted by the thieves in your area. This will help you be prepared, cautious and take steps for catalytic converter security. Generally, the cars with extra-low emissions are the ones that are targeted since these cars contain more of the precious metals that go into this car. One such model happens to be Prius which has been extensively robbed of its Catalytic converter.
2) Weld the catalytic converter
Get the catalytic converter welded to the car as it will make it harder to steal and if anyone nearby happens to sense suspicious, then they might inform you or call the cops. This is better than having it simply bolted. But you also need to know that if the thieves still try to cut it off with a saw or some other instrument, then they might damage other parts of the car.
3) Paint it and etch it
This is to ensure that it is easily identifiable and harder to sell. Use a bright color and inscribe your vehicle’s license plate number on it. This will deter some conscientious dealers from buying it, or at least make them think twice due to the fear of facing any legal charges in an adverse scenario.
4) Get a CCTV Camera
This is one of the ways to keep an eye on your car, and it is safe while being parked in your driveway. Get a motion-sensing camera or a car theft prevention camera to know when someone is trying to tamper with your vehicle, like when it is jacked up or tilted. It can also help you note the license plate number of the getaway car.
CCTV Monitoring At CCTV Monitoring, we provide live video surveillance services and can inform you as soon as suspicious activity is detected, and you can take preventive actions. This ensures you are in a position to take a proactive stance rather than the passive one when all has been done. So contact us to know more!!
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