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01-24-2020, 01:53 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Texas
Posts: 273
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Catalytic converter thief
Today i went to R V storage to run the generator and M H because they had been setting for about 4 weeks.
WOW what a loud surprise when the M H started. I shut it off, went outside and took a look under. It was what I thought. A THIEF had sawed off the catalytic converter--even left a broken saws-all blade.
I called the office and they were there in a minute. I explained what happened and asked if anyone else had reported problems with theft. The answer was no, so I suggested they look under other M H in this storage area and they found 3 more had been sawed off.
This is a very large storage facility that seemed safe with code entry, high fence, lights every where and many cameras. While waiting for the police the office returned and said they saw the thief on camera. He had 2 converters in a back pack and was carrying 2 on his way out. During the day on Monday he entered and left thru a drain under the road from another storage next door.
Watching the thief just confirms my thoughts about cameras. They are not a thief deterrent. A brazen thief knows that out of thousands of people you probably can't find them, even if you have their picture.
It looks like the sensors came unplugged from the converter and were not damaged. Hopefully I can order a converter by my VIN from a local Ford dealer, have a muffler shop weld it on and plug it back in. If this won't work it is 90 to a dealer with a bay big enough to handle a GT5.
Don't know if there is an insurance deductible for this or how much a new converter cost.
__________________
Ben Moore
Temple,TX
2019 GT5 31L5F, 2014 Wrangler Unlimited
CHF rear, CHF front, Sumo springs front
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01-24-2020, 05:58 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 2,501
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Yes I feel your pain, my rv storage facility was broken into in November. They damaged several trailers when they broke into them. I was told my trailer was untouched, a few weeks later I went to get it and as I was making my pre trip walk around. I discovered my spare had been stabbed. To make matters worse, I didn’t have time to replace the spare before leaving for my trip 25 miles from making it home got my first blowout ever.
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2022 Chevy 3500 Diesel SWD
2022 Columbus 329 DVC
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01-24-2020, 06:33 AM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: top side land of Lincoln
Posts: 7,509
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That really sucks! Let us know how this turns out.
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2014 LaCrosse 323RST-TE-C
2009 Chevy 2500HD Z71
Seasonal
Zelda the campin dog
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01-24-2020, 07:02 AM
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#4
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Trailer Park Supervisor
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Northern NJ
Posts: 8,416
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Should fall under comprehensive. I carry a 100 dollar deductible for comp, because something can smash your windshield anytime, and it wouldn't be worth claiming with a high deductible. Also, deer collisions fall under comp to my surprise. Had $4k in deer damage to one car, repaired for 100 dollar comp deductible. Nice!
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2019 Rockwood Geo Pro G19FD w/off road package
2015 Ford F150 XLT Super Cab 4x4 V8
Yes, I drink the water!
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01-24-2020, 08:29 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 304
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Have it tack welded.
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regards,
Extremebike
2004 Ford F550 6l Lariat SuperCrew, Fontaine Bed,
Link Systems Air Ride
2011 Sterling 32RL with Michelin XPS tires
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01-28-2020, 05:14 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Texas
Posts: 273
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Quote:
Originally Posted by extremebike
Have it tack welded.
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Please explain how/where to tack weld
Thanks
Btm
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01-28-2020, 05:30 PM
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#7
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Citrus County, Fl.
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Hernando, Fl
Posts: 2,368
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I don't understand all of these converter thefts. Guess they are trying to convert their Fords into Cadillacs.
In all seriousness, sorry to hear about your theft.
__________________
2016 Forester 3011DS
2017 Toyota Corolla SE toad
PREVIOUS: 2015 Flagstaff 832IKBS
99 Terry 31G
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01-28-2020, 05:42 PM
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#8
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Grayson County, Texas
Posts: 21,473
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GL1800Rider
I don't understand all of these converter thefts. Guess they are trying to convert their Fords into Cadillacs.
In all seriousness, sorry to hear about your theft.
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We've seen recent news reports in our area of thieves stealing converters from church vans in broad daylight in front of security cameras. Not enough being caught and penalized, I guess.
__________________
2015 FR Wildcat 295RSX / GMC Sierra
Nights Camped: '13 = 49/'14 = 74/'15 = 74/'16 = 85/'17 = 110/'18 = 111/'19 = 86/'20 =108/'21 = 115/'22 = 135/'23 = 78; Booked for 2024 = 69
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01-28-2020, 05:44 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Family room couch
Posts: 4,507
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Btm
Please explain how/where to tack weld
Thanks
Btm
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If you're concerned about the drive to get it repaired, I read that another person took the measurements of the exposed exhaust pipe and got a piece of flex exhaust pipe from an auto parts store and installed it temporarily to get it to the repair location.
Ray
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2020 Georgetown GT5 34H5
2020 Equinox Premier AWD 2.0L/9-speed
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01-28-2020, 05:51 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Reno, NV
Posts: 1,713
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Lots of converter thefts going on the SF Bay Area..any vehicle with high ground clearance is a potential victim. A battery Sawzall at 3am and 3 minutes is all it takes.
Cats contain a variety of precious metals which is worth a lot on the black market.
https://www.ktvu.com/search?q=catalytic&ss=fb
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2018 Ram 2500 Tradesman, CTD/CC/SB/4X4/Equalizer WDH
2019 Forest River Surveyor Legend 19BHLE
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01-28-2020, 05:52 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Phelps, NY
Posts: 341
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__________________
2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 5.7
2020 Coachman Apex Nano 187RB Outfitter & Off-Grid
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01-29-2020, 12:15 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Texas
Posts: 273
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Repaired
Doppleganger
Thanks for the photo--I will be making something similar to yours to protect from another thief.
I found a muffler shop about 5 miles North of me towards Moody Tx. This shop also specializes in converters. He explained differences in quality and how converters are "packed", so I decided to pay much more for a Ford replacement. It seems that off brand converters can give poor readings and may not last as long. He said off brands would work fine , but I wanted exact replacement.
He said that he would come to storage to install it so I would not have to drive the M H. Converter cost was $1475 with $140 labor, including a new O2 sensor An off brand would have been about 1/3 this cost. Everything was installed today, so now on to insurance for my money back.
Today a police detective called me and wanted some info and said they CAUGHT the thief. He said 2 days ago the police stopped someone with 10 converters in their car, so they matched camera footage from the storage to his face and it was him. The thief had walked within 2ft of the camera looking directly at it.
He also asked if I would press charges if the D A decided to prosecute. Absolutely I will. He thought the DA was going to court for criminal charges because of the value and increased thief around here.
Even though cameras will not stop thefts, they sure are good to identify thieves.
Btm
__________________
Ben Moore
Temple,TX
2019 GT5 31L5F, 2014 Wrangler Unlimited
CHF rear, CHF front, Sumo springs front
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01-29-2020, 12:21 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Texas
Posts: 273
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Converter pics
Cut off sections and new converter
Btm
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01-29-2020, 06:28 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Virginia
Posts: 9,678
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Sorry to here about the theft and glad he was caught.
It has calmed down here for awhile but converters were being stolen off car dealer lots, copper wiring from the empty factories and the outside AC units were being stolen from churches. Even manhole covers were being stolen. All for scrap. It slowed down when laws were passed where the the scrap dealers had to record the personal information of anyone who sold scrap and what they sold. Scrap prices are down as well.
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2005 Dodge 3500 Cummins
2017 Wildwood Lodge 4092 BFL
1966 Mustang GT
1986 Mustang SVO
Lillie Spoiled Rotten Boxer Mix
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01-29-2020, 07:16 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: ALASKA (World's Biggest Campground)
Posts: 6,594
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This makes no sense at all. A saws-all will cut through that rebar just as easy as the exhaust pipe. The constant heat from the converter and cooling will aid in the annealing process of the rebar.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Doppleganger
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'07 K3500 Silverado LT Crew Duramax (LBZ)
2016 Salem 27RKSS
1984 CHEV SCOTTSDALE K20 2GCGK24J0E1XXXXXX (Chevrolet Legends-Class of 2019)
"...exhaust fluid? We don't need no stinkin' exhaust fluid"
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01-29-2020, 07:51 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 918
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"Even manhole covers were being stolen. All for scrap"
In many older towns like Boston the man hole covers are cast iron works of art , some a century old.
They become high buck tables .
Converters are sold as converters , not scrapped , as converters are expensive.
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01-29-2020, 07:54 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 505
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That sucks!
This makes feel fortunate we have the facility available that we do and makes the rather hefty monthly fee seem more worth it.
__________________
Pete Githens
Reading, PA
2019 Georgetown GT5 31R5
2018 Chevy Spark
Formerly - 2007 Itasca Navion (Sold and gone)
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01-29-2020, 08:16 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Texas
Posts: 273
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Quote:
Originally Posted by D W
This makes no sense at all. A saws-all will cut through that rebar just as easy as the exhaust pipe. The constant heat from the converter and cooling will aid in the annealing process of the rebar.
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It makes very good sense to me. I doubt that converter heat would change the re-bar. Even if it does it would require more cuts and time to get the converter. After going thru the hassle of replacing a converter anything that might prevent a theft makes sense. Yes a saws-all will cut re-bar and the pipe, but anything that makes a thief have to make more cuts might make them go some where else.
Btm
__________________
Ben Moore
Temple,TX
2019 GT5 31L5F, 2014 Wrangler Unlimited
CHF rear, CHF front, Sumo springs front
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01-29-2020, 08:42 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Phelps, NY
Posts: 341
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Btm
Doppleganger
Thanks for the photo--I will be making something similar to yours to protect from another thief.
Btm
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Well, wasn't mine, just a photo I found. I've seen that picture in a "When you park in a sketchy neighborhood" meme, too. There are actually pre-made devices that clamp on to the cat to slow them down, too. Funny thing, is that only OEM cats really have a value to them, aftermarket ones don't.
Straight pipes and spark plug no-foulers have no value, either.
__________________
2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 5.7
2020 Coachman Apex Nano 187RB Outfitter & Off-Grid
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01-29-2020, 08:43 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 208
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Would the RV storage owners possibly be responsible for the cost involved? Or are they park at your own risk?
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