Catalytic converter protection

[lipso]

With all the news about theft of Prius cats, has anyone experience of using a protector such as catloc or catclamp?

[FROSTYBALLS]

See 

 

[altocumulus]

16 hours ago, lipso said:

With all the news about theft of Prius cats, has anyone experience of using a protector such as catloc or catclamp?

My first thought would be how would you fit one after driving somewhere - how long does it take for a cat to cool down sufficiently.

Just rhetorical questions....

If you park with one side along the kerb, would anyone be daft enough to try pinching a cat using the busy offside?

Is there enough room to manoeuvrer under the car, if parked between other cars?

 

[David Kent]

Having had my catalytic converter stolen in March, when the new cat was installed by Jemca Purley, I paid for a Catloc to be installed as well.  Initially I was worried about using the car park where the cat was stolen but decided that I can't let this impact on my life, so I'm still parking there twice a week.  I do have stickers on the car windows stating that a Catloc is installed, so if the scumbags can read hopefully they will go away.  The CCTV at the car park showed that the thieves took about four minutes to remove the cat - with the Catloc installed it would take considerably longer IF they can cut through the chain.

[johalareewi]

On 4/30/2019 at 4:13 PM, altocumulus said:

If you park with one side along the kerb, would anyone be daft enough to try pinching a cat using the busy offside?

Yes. They park their van in the road alongside the vehicle, jack it up, whip the converter out, remove jacks and drive off.  All under 1 minute.  There is cctv video online showing this.

[PeteB]

1 hour ago, johalareewi said:

Yes. They park their van in the road alongside the vehicle, jack it up, whip the converter out, remove jacks and drive off.  All under 1 minute.  There is cctv video online showing this.

have you seen this video elsewhere on this group?  

They even hold up following traffic while they do it, and the guy stealing the cat even seems to wave to the person filming them just before jumping in the car and driving off.  Apparently the car also had false plates.

[Konrad C]

I posted this reply in another post in the Corolla forum.
Rip Off Britain featured car parts theft yesterday. And what car was shown? Toyota Prius mk2. They also had a fiesta where all the front was removed. One thing of note was both victims had cctv and captured what was happening! In the case of the Prius, the wife tried to go out and challenge the thieves, but the thieves backed the Passat upto the outward opening front door, blocking it.
Areas that seem popular for the cat thefts seem to be east London, with other surrounding area also noted, and Midlands. 
Recently the police caught up with a Passat and it had stolen cats, trolley jacks, and cutting equipment. Not sure if it was the same Passat, involved in a lot of reported and social media videos.