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They are stealing catalytic converters!
allen griggs
Member Posts: 35,695 ✭✭✭✭
Asheville Citizen-Times
Catalytic converter thefts go up
Josh Boatwright jboatwright@citizen-times.com published June 24, 2008 12:15 am
ASHEVILLE, NC- Thieves able to slip underneath vehicles and saw off costly catalytic converters within minutes have struck an increasing number of dealerships and car owners, police warned Monday.
Skyrocketing prices for precious metals within the emissions control devices have made them a hot commodity nationwide, police said.
In one case last week, workers at Jim Barkley Toyota on Brevard Road discovered catalytic converters had been stolen from 14 vehicles.
"We heard about it in California and other places across the country that it was becoming a growing problem, then all of the sudden it started popping up here," Asheville Police Capt. Tim Splain said.
Catalytic converters burn excess exhaust gases, reducing emissions. Typically about a foot long, they are located on the bottom of a car, often near the front floorboard.
The devices can bring more than $100 at a scrap yard. Replacement costs start at about $250 and reach up to $2,000.
Their value lies in the platinum, rhodium and palladium they contain, metals that have spiked in prices in recent months.
The value of platinum has nearly doubled in the past year, especially during the first half of 2008 when it has commanded prices as high as $2,252 per ounce.
"It's the stuff inside them that's worth the money," said Leroy Reese, an assistant service manager at Auto Advantage car dealership in Hendersonville, where half a dozen converters were stolen last month.
An advertisement by Grady's Recycling in the classified ads publication IWANNA offers $35-$185 in cash for catalytic converters, depending on the size and type.
Business owner Grady Drum said converters had little worth 20 years ago but have increased in value during the past two years.
Growing problem
Converter thefts in Western North Carolina do not appear to be as prevalent as thefts of copper - another metal that has spiked in value - but they have sprung up rapidly in the recent months.
Farid Akmal, store manager of Midas Auto Service in Arden, said he couldn't recall customers bringing in cars that had been stripped of their converters until a few months ago.
Technicians at Thrifty Muffler and Brakes last week were replacing the catalytic converter on a delivery van, and they have seen new customers weekly over the past month with the same problem.
Workers at a Pisgah Forest car dealership a few weeks ago discovered 12 vehicles had been stripped.
"We've seen (thefts) anywhere from parking lots to used car lots," * County Sheriff's Lt. Ross Dillingham said.
Dillingham said it appears converter thefts have increased over the past three months. He estimates the Sheriff's Office has had 15-20 reports within the last month.
Asheville police records since Jan. 1 show reports of converter thefts starting in April.
"Catalytic converter thefts are a fairly new phenomenon, and just because of the value of the metals that are in the catalytic converters it's going to be one that continues on for awhile," Splain said.
Fighting the thefts
Removing the devices is also relatively easy and could be done in two minutes with a battery-powered Sawzall, Thrifty technician Buddy Stroupe said.
Workers at Pisgah Forest Auto Sales and Auto Advantage in Hendersonville discovered used power saw blades scattered on the pavement near targeted vehicles.
Reese said thieves seemed to target sport utility vehicles because it's easier to crawl underneath them.
Asheville police said in the public announcement Monday that thieves use creepers to slide under vehicles.
Removing a converter will not necessarily disable a car, but replacing it can be expensive. Police said repairs could cost up to $2,000, depending on the type of vehicle, based on data from the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries.
Law enforcement agencies nationwide have been taking measures to stop the thefts.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department in May began partnering with repair shops to engrave people's converters for free so they would be easier to track if stolen.
Scrap buyers and recyclers in North Carolina are required by law to note the driver's license number of people selling valuable metals and keep records of seller information.
Dillingham said sheriff's investigators are trying to identify people who frequently sell catalytic converters in an effort to link them to ones reported stolen.
Larger recycling businesses in Asheville have told police they do not accept catalytic converters, and police have advised scrap buyers not to take newer devices that appear sawed off.
Drum, who runs a smaller recycling business, said he always notes the identification and tag number of people who sell converters to him, and he is in touch with detectives to report any items that appear to have been stolen.
Grady's Recycling has told police they only recycle old converters and do not buy new ones that have been sawed off.
Asheville police have gotten tips from local scrap buyers about suspicious metal sales leading to some arrests. But investigators are often able to attribute only one or two crimes to someone who has possibly committed scores of similar thefts before being caught, Asheville police spokeswoman Melissa Williams said.
Police investigators think thieves may be selling the stolen devices in nearby states. They have also heard reports that stolen converters are shipped overseas where the metal can be extracted cheaply.
Asheville police have advised car dealerships to consider building fences around their lots or invest in overnight security, Splain said.
Residents should try to park their vehicles in secure locations, like a garage, rather than in the open or consider a motion sensor light in their driveway, he said.
Though preventing converter thefts can be difficult, Dillingham said people should keep an eye out and call authorities if they see someone suspicious under vehicles in public places.
"There's really no way that I know mechanically to prevent it, other than people being vigilant and notifying people if they see someone under a vehicle," said Dillingham.
Catalytic converter thefts go up
Josh Boatwright jboatwright@citizen-times.com published June 24, 2008 12:15 am
ASHEVILLE, NC- Thieves able to slip underneath vehicles and saw off costly catalytic converters within minutes have struck an increasing number of dealerships and car owners, police warned Monday.
Skyrocketing prices for precious metals within the emissions control devices have made them a hot commodity nationwide, police said.
In one case last week, workers at Jim Barkley Toyota on Brevard Road discovered catalytic converters had been stolen from 14 vehicles.
"We heard about it in California and other places across the country that it was becoming a growing problem, then all of the sudden it started popping up here," Asheville Police Capt. Tim Splain said.
Catalytic converters burn excess exhaust gases, reducing emissions. Typically about a foot long, they are located on the bottom of a car, often near the front floorboard.
The devices can bring more than $100 at a scrap yard. Replacement costs start at about $250 and reach up to $2,000.
Their value lies in the platinum, rhodium and palladium they contain, metals that have spiked in prices in recent months.
The value of platinum has nearly doubled in the past year, especially during the first half of 2008 when it has commanded prices as high as $2,252 per ounce.
"It's the stuff inside them that's worth the money," said Leroy Reese, an assistant service manager at Auto Advantage car dealership in Hendersonville, where half a dozen converters were stolen last month.
An advertisement by Grady's Recycling in the classified ads publication IWANNA offers $35-$185 in cash for catalytic converters, depending on the size and type.
Business owner Grady Drum said converters had little worth 20 years ago but have increased in value during the past two years.
Growing problem
Converter thefts in Western North Carolina do not appear to be as prevalent as thefts of copper - another metal that has spiked in value - but they have sprung up rapidly in the recent months.
Farid Akmal, store manager of Midas Auto Service in Arden, said he couldn't recall customers bringing in cars that had been stripped of their converters until a few months ago.
Technicians at Thrifty Muffler and Brakes last week were replacing the catalytic converter on a delivery van, and they have seen new customers weekly over the past month with the same problem.
Workers at a Pisgah Forest car dealership a few weeks ago discovered 12 vehicles had been stripped.
"We've seen (thefts) anywhere from parking lots to used car lots," * County Sheriff's Lt. Ross Dillingham said.
Dillingham said it appears converter thefts have increased over the past three months. He estimates the Sheriff's Office has had 15-20 reports within the last month.
Asheville police records since Jan. 1 show reports of converter thefts starting in April.
"Catalytic converter thefts are a fairly new phenomenon, and just because of the value of the metals that are in the catalytic converters it's going to be one that continues on for awhile," Splain said.
Fighting the thefts
Removing the devices is also relatively easy and could be done in two minutes with a battery-powered Sawzall, Thrifty technician Buddy Stroupe said.
Workers at Pisgah Forest Auto Sales and Auto Advantage in Hendersonville discovered used power saw blades scattered on the pavement near targeted vehicles.
Reese said thieves seemed to target sport utility vehicles because it's easier to crawl underneath them.
Asheville police said in the public announcement Monday that thieves use creepers to slide under vehicles.
Removing a converter will not necessarily disable a car, but replacing it can be expensive. Police said repairs could cost up to $2,000, depending on the type of vehicle, based on data from the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries.
Law enforcement agencies nationwide have been taking measures to stop the thefts.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department in May began partnering with repair shops to engrave people's converters for free so they would be easier to track if stolen.
Scrap buyers and recyclers in North Carolina are required by law to note the driver's license number of people selling valuable metals and keep records of seller information.
Dillingham said sheriff's investigators are trying to identify people who frequently sell catalytic converters in an effort to link them to ones reported stolen.
Larger recycling businesses in Asheville have told police they do not accept catalytic converters, and police have advised scrap buyers not to take newer devices that appear sawed off.
Drum, who runs a smaller recycling business, said he always notes the identification and tag number of people who sell converters to him, and he is in touch with detectives to report any items that appear to have been stolen.
Grady's Recycling has told police they only recycle old converters and do not buy new ones that have been sawed off.
Asheville police have gotten tips from local scrap buyers about suspicious metal sales leading to some arrests. But investigators are often able to attribute only one or two crimes to someone who has possibly committed scores of similar thefts before being caught, Asheville police spokeswoman Melissa Williams said.
Police investigators think thieves may be selling the stolen devices in nearby states. They have also heard reports that stolen converters are shipped overseas where the metal can be extracted cheaply.
Asheville police have advised car dealerships to consider building fences around their lots or invest in overnight security, Splain said.
Residents should try to park their vehicles in secure locations, like a garage, rather than in the open or consider a motion sensor light in their driveway, he said.
Though preventing converter thefts can be difficult, Dillingham said people should keep an eye out and call authorities if they see someone suspicious under vehicles in public places.
"There's really no way that I know mechanically to prevent it, other than people being vigilant and notifying people if they see someone under a vehicle," said Dillingham.
Comments
[:D]
Allen
Since the bad guy had got away anyhow the owner decided not to file a criminal report, which would mean that nice saw would've been seized as evidence. Without a victim there's no criminal offense. He chose to just keep the saw and weld the tailpipe back up himself. [:D]
BTW- The ones on diesel pickups suposedly bring more than those on gas engined passenger cars. Not sure how much, though.
Simple. Just before you lock the gate for the evening, let the dogs out. Joe
not always so simple--quite a few have been stolen from parking lots while the owners was inside a restaraunt having dinner with the family. It takes about 2 minutes with a sawzall and they are gone. Recently at a dealership in CO the theives stole the cats right off the trucks on the lot and left the creeper behind lol.
Simple. Just before you lock the gate for the evening, let the dogs out. JoePeople put way too much faith in dogs. They're really only good for keeping honest people honest, deterring rookie/dumbazz thieves or sounding the intruder alarm to people on site.
A #2 box from Church's Chicken will take a guard dog off the clock long enough to slip by him. That's a time proven principle from Repo-Man 101.
non secure long term parking lots for the airport were the first known strike points once those were secured they started hitting apartment complexes UTA park n rides and just about any car that didn't move over the weekend could be counted on being hit.