Why don't they sting 'um???

[redhawker]

I don't know about other areas of the country but in my neck-o-the-woods, thefts of catalytic converters are at record levels. I've heard of some people that have had their car hit three times. Apparently whatever metals they make these things out of are worth a decent amount of money and all these dirt-bag thieves have to do is slide under a car with a saws-all and there out of there in less than a minute with the converter. The thing that makes me wonder a little is why the Police don't go after these businesses or individuals that are buying these things? I've never heard of a scrap dealer getting busted for buying a catalytic converter. (have you?) Seems to me if they made it at least risky for the scrap dealers to buy these things the market for them would dry up and the thieves would have no reason to steal them.

 

[hittman]

Next thing you know, folks will want to punish honest gun owners for the illegal acts of others too.

Just jail the criminals and leave business owners alone. Unless of course they're involved in the thefts.

 

[nrobe50]

Except the scrap dealers know they are buying stolen catalytic converters. This has been going on for many years. Remember T-tops and pickup tailgates. Scumbags steal them and scumbags buy them and the poor guy that is the victim either buys them back from the second scumbag or your insurance company pays for a new one. We all pay with higher insurance rates.

 

[contender]

Locally,, the scrap dealers don't buy these converters. Even the few that do,, record who is selling them, by getting a copy of their driver's license. LEO's have made it harder for the thieves to do their business locally.
I know,, my son is a property crime detective,, and the guy who works for me has a nephew in jail (4-7 year sentence) for such thefts.
So, yes,, some jurisdictions can & do actively go after these types.

 

[Mobuck]

The scrap dealers are making some good $$ in the deal and sure don't want things to change. I was in a scrap metal business one day when a couple of real low life dudes came in with 3-4 catalytic converters. I casually checked the cut off ends of the tail pipes and none looked fresh. The sellers got pretty nervous when they noticed me and went out a different door after getting paid. I commented on the cut off pipe ends and the yard guy said they left them lay out and rust for a week before selling so it didn't look so suspicious.

 

[eveled]

Lots of stories on line about these thieves being crushed by the cars when the jacks fail.
Poetic justice at its best.

 

[blume357]

For years if you read about how a catalytic converter worked they would use the term 'noble metal' to describe the coating on the ceramic honey comb inside them... somebody figured out what that was.... platinum.....

As for going after the "honest scrap metal businesses"... I can see one guy coming in with one converter or a known auto parts place bringing some in but a scraggly dude with bad teeth (meth head) coming in once a week with a load? No longer what I would consider an honest business....

 

[Dan in MI]

Platinum, palladium, and rhodium. All worth much more per ounce than gold. Depending on type they used to fetch ballpark $50 each ten years ago. It's probably higher now. Car companies continually try to reduce how much they use because of the cost.

The scrap business is lucrative so it's hard to nail the good guy versus the bad guy. Much like the pawn business. Useful, but can be shady.

 

[dbarale]

Locally,, the scrap dealers don't buy these converters. Even the few that do,, record who is selling them, by getting a copy of their driver's license. LEO's have made it harder for the thieves to do their business locally.
I know,, my son is a property crime detective,, and the guy who works for me has a nephew in jail (4-7 year sentence) for such thefts.
So, yes,, some jurisdictions can & do actively go after these types.

The problem that Contender's son and I face (we kinda work together), is that surrounding states don't require recyclers to keep good records. And we are close enough to two state lines to keep it worth it. You can go to Lowes, steal a battery powered sawzall, then cut three of four cats and make $2000 in a few hours…

 

[contender]

dbarale is correct.

He has to deal with such stuff as well. But as noted,, due to the proximity of state lines,, and SOME scrap yard dealers willing to buy stuff w/o worrying about where it came from,, it is a problem.
I was just pointing out that not ALL places fail to try & prosecute or control these thieves.

 

[Kevin]

In Texas the recycle yards also require a drivers license when selling metal. It's a state law.

 

[NikA]

In Texas the recycle yards also require a drivers license when selling metal. It's a state law.

I suspect parts of Texas are like New Mexico in that the stolen goods are frequently removed over the border prior to sale.

Not sure about the big cities in the northeast, but if something vehicular gets stolen within a couple hundred miles of the border, there's a good chance it's headed south.

 

[Hvymax]

Make it like Pawn Shops where they keep records. They could get the Cell Phone records for the site of the theft and cross-reference with the sellers.

 

[hittman]

For y'all really worried, here's a solution for ya

 

[Watertender]

There is a food distributor near me that had 4 of their trucks get the catalytic converters stolen right at the loading dock. The orders were being made up and the theft took less than 10 minutes. Another place where multiple thefts occur is at a concert or sporting event. The catch and release program that the state has just lets the thieves keep on doing it

 

[jlw1911]

I've heard of a few buddies who set up a sting at a local fleet repair shop that had a consistent break in 3 weeks running. Supposedly the guys lay in wait with paint ball guns and shot guns with non-lethal rubber projectiles. You never seen a meth head vanish in thin air from beneath an Isuzu box truck so fast. 6 meth heads, vanished into thin air never to be seen again... or so I heard. Totally a local rumor I know nothing about.

 

[Dave P.]

Locally on a individual theft issue the police will call and maybe do a phone report so you have something
to present to the insurance company. Same story for car break ins, storage areas, vandalism...etc. Our cops are pretty
disinterested to the point of being useless on "petty" crime.
A few years ago I sold my Jeep cats and an old one off a GM truck. They took a picture of me, my vehicle and
it's license plate along with a copy of my drivers license. Was paid with a check. All nice, but if law enforcement
never bothers to investigate......

 

[beentheredone]

General assumption around here -- if a dealer buys a converter, he's a criminal. Seriously, all scrapyards are under a microscope in this area. You have to see the Sheriff and get a permit just to sell any sort of scrap, aluminum cans included.

 

[hittman]

As usual …. Punish the "average Joe", not the thief.

 

[Teflon97116]

You nailed that Hittman. Maybe lawmakers should take the "woke" approach and make it illegal for honest citizens to possess battery powered sawzalls.