Someone Stole my Catalytic converter

[RajK]

I am new here. I have joined here to learn more about what I have experienced today.
I have a 2008 Vito, had it for 6+ yrs and never had any issues. Really nice van.
I noticed the engine was unusually loud on the weekend and today I took it the near by garage and found the catalytic converter missing and guys in the garage told me it looks like the catalytic converter had been stolen. It’s quite shocking for someone to do this sort of thing.
What I would like to know is, is this quite common for catalytic converters to be stolen from Vitos?
How can I stop this happening again they are quite expensive to replace as I have discovered today. Is there a way to look the catalytic converter from being stolen again.
And are the later versions of Vitos have some protection as It maybe an option I may considering to upgrade.

Welcome your feedback and advise.
Thanks

 

[alabbasi]

Very common thing here in the US if you leave your car parked in an industrial area overnight. Cats (especially OEM Mercedes Benz cats) are quite large and have precious metals. They recycle for anywhere from $50-150 / piece at scrap metal merchants. Not bad money for 5 minutes of work under a car with a reciprocating saw.

 

[Deano1972]

Sure you haven’t got any pikeys around your way they are the normal culprits

 

[John]

Welcome to the forum.

Sorry to hear that.

It was rife a few years back. There were stories of lots of vans getting done over in yards - they can sell them on the dodgy market for, at the time, £200/£300 each.

If you steal 20 in one night...

Then I think the "money must be paid into a bank account" by scrappers although whether this has made much difference I don't know.

I thought it had died out but it doesn't surprise me it still happens as metal prices are still quite strong it seems.

As for stopping it - are you able to store the vehicle in a lockup or garage?

 

[markjay]

Catalytic converter theft | AA

 

[KillerHERTZ]

My neighbours old Honda Accord was done last year. They used wire and twisted it around until it cut through making no noise at all.

 

[RajK]

Thanks everyone.

Even the people in the garage were surprised this sort of thing is still going on.

The bill is just over £600! For new catalytic converter fitted.
Now I’m extremely warried that could lose it again.
I was thinking of locking it by fitting stainless steel wire cable, by wrapping it around a few times and fixing to the body somewhere. Don’t know if it’s safe to do that? Has anyone done anything similar from stopping it from getting stolen?

Will be useful for to know are the later versions Vito ‘s have any protection from being stolen easily?

 

[noogieman]

When you took the Vito to the garage, did service techs notice any cut marks on exhaust pipes?
Did thieves leave any marks from their work?
Did thieves cut or dismantle the cat converter?

Thieves are bold when they decide to steal from other people.
My service guy (former friend) ran his own MB specialists shop, he was stealing parts off my car letting me think parts were broken or worn out so I had to pay for new parts.
It later turned out that my idiot service guy who was my personal friend (he's not a friend anymore!) needed my non-worn parts for his own MB 190E 2,3 16V Cosworth.
He was tuning his Cossie into a race car with stolen by fraud AMG parts.
AMG parts he was stealing from my car.

My former mechanic friend was a tight a$$ and a scrooge snatching parts from his customers and friends cars.
Unfortunately coppers in my country don't waste time on petty theft investigations, my former mechanic buddy is free to continue snatching parts from customers when they take their cars in for repairs.

Getting stabbed in the back by a trusted friend is not very polite thing to do.
I'm still pi$$ed about it!

 

[alabbasi]

That's a really sad story, but it happens more often than one would think

 

[400ixl]

Sprinters have always been a particular favourite. Maybe they are easier to get to than most, or have a better value.

No idea how effective they are buy Armacat catshield catalytic converter protection systems - Garrison Locks or CatShield Catalytic Converter Anti-Theft Device

 

[John]

There is some advice in the article MJ posted above too on how to try and prevent.

Shame you can't mount a camera and call in an air strike when they turn up.

 

[popuptoaster]

Sprinters have always been a particular favourite. Maybe they are easier to get to than most, or have a better value.

Sprinters are taller and easier to get underneath, they are also common enough that its easy to sell a second hand cat or even go get one for you own van if it fails mot.

 

[RajK]

There is some advice in the article MJ posted above too on how to try and prevent.

Shame you can't mount a camera and call in an air strike when they turn up.

That would be ideal John, if I can call in air /drone strikes .
Looking to install a camera outside house now.

 

[RajK]

I spoke to Merc and they say it’s known about this sort of thing.
And they offered to sell me a new lock for the Catalytic, which costs £105.
I don’t understand why Merc don’t address the issue by designing a preventative solution to stop the catalytic converters being stolen on later versions and models? And it seems to be another money making scheme, they get to sell more Catalytic converters and Locks.
Really strange.

 

[Scott_F]

That would be ideal John, if I can call in air /drone strikes .
Looking to install a camera outside house now.

I don't know what you are planning to spend but I doubt that a camera would be a worthwhile investment.

As you have already discovered, well-practiced thieves will be in and out without being detected and next morning all you will be left with is some footage showing people probably wearing hoodies and scarves who are impossible to identify. And even if your footage does show their faces the police will quite possibly have little interest in viewing it.

 

[John]

The air strike would take out your vehicle too so not really a practical solution but at least they'd struggle to repeat the theft once they are park of the pavement.

I think it became a big problem after 2008 when things went a bit pear-shaped in the economy.

So manufacturers have had plenty of time to come up with a solution but I guess it's like cars with keyless etc. being stolen easily - not much incentive to really nail it when more cars can be sold if they are stolen and it doesn't cost them anything.

The only thing you can do these days short of taking the law into your own hands by whatever means is make it harder to steal your CC over other ones in the area...

 

[Duff3103]

thats the type of scum we have to deal with unfortunately, there is a food distribution company a few miles up the road that had a fleet of sprinters and crafters and had every dpf filter stripped from them in one night. Expensive garage bills for them