Cat stolen today

[T Sport 1978]

Hi all,

Left the car in a private car park today to go to the park with the family, our first outing for more than 3 months as a family and all was well and fun filled until we returned back to the car.

Reveresed the car back out of the space and can hear metal scraping on the ground, and I just knew then that some scumbag no good for nothing amoeba has stolen the cat.  Lo and behold, i find 4 bolts and a couple of springs left on the spot where the cat would have been, they had the time to undo it properly and not having to use cutters to do the job.

This will leave me 400 pounds out of pocket for insurance and I am here to warn you all that this lowest and easiest of crimes are alive and well.  And incase the thieves are sadistic enough to be reading these forums, you have left someone with 5 mouths to feed with 400 pounds less to spend at a time we are not earning a single penny of income.  I hope you are happy.

Keep vigilant folks, and I shall be investing in a catloc when i get the car back.

[Timmon]

Very bad luck, sorry to hear this. There are some scum bags out there. Sadly, I don't see things getting better, as unemployment rises.

No excuse for this, I guess we need to be aware even more right now.

[snowBALLs]

Really sorry to hear at such a time. Someone showed me a CCTV footage of a 12:30am cat theft on a driveway with 3 men with a car driving around looking for hybrid car to steal from just after lockdown were eased last week. 

I would seriously think about changing car if I were u as catloc can be cut through as well. Currently I have a Yaris hybrid and they cannot get to the cat as it's where the manifold is. Was considering last year to get an Lexus ct200h or auris hybrid, quickly decide against when I found out cat are easily cut off from them. 

[T Sport 1978]

22 minutes ago, snowBALLs said:

Really sorry to hear at such a time. Someone showed me a CCTV footage of a 12:30am cat theft on a driveway with 3 men with a car driving around looking for hybrid car to steal from just after lockdown were eased last week. 

I would seriously think about changing car if I were u as catloc can be cut through as well. Currently I have a Yaris hybrid and they cannot get to the cat as it's where the manifold is. Was considering last year to get an Lexus ct200h or auris hybrid, quickly decide against when I found out cat are easily cut off from them. 

I literally swapped a Ford S Max to a Prius+ just before the lock down happened because the Ford averaged 24MPG during my ownership.

 

I thought this Prius was going to save me money in the long run, but yeah this car may cost me dear if this is a persistent problem.

[Chris Dance]

I am also sorry to hear you had your car cat stolen. I doubt anybody witnessed the crime if they did most folk are frightened to come forward.

Did you have to have the car recovered to a Toyota dealers? Trouble is even if you have protected insurance your annual premium still goes up.

We never get to hear if the scum bags are ever taken to court and punished. Hope you get things sorted. 

[T Sport 1978]

1 minute ago, Chris Dance said:

I am also sorry to hear you had your car cat stolen. I doubt anybody witnessed the crime if they did most folk are frightened to come forward.

Did you have to have the car recovered to a Toyota dealers? Trouble is even if you have protected insurance your annual premium still goes up.

We never get to hear if the scum bags are ever taken to court and punished. Hope you get things sorted. 

It was recovered by the insurance company as I was told that it would have been illegal to drive.

I knew of the potential risks before buying the car, but like all of these things I just didn't think it would happen to me.

The premium will of course go up but what can one really do except do what I can (i.e install Catloc).

[BhxTrev]

TSport, sorry to hear that this has happened to you. Toyota quite rightly says it’s not there fault that the cats get stolen but I would have liked to have seen the company doing something during the production stage to ensure the cat cannot be taken off the car very easily as it appears to be so. I was going to fit a catloc but I was told a while ago that they don’t make them for the Gen4 models, so that’s a none starter. I also read that even with a catloc, the cat can easily be cut of in next to no time. It’s putting me off buying another Prius a car I’ve been very happy with. I have been mulling over having an electric vehicle which means unfortunately moving away from the Toyota marque but with the recent increases in range & the fact there’s no exhaust & therefore no cat on an electric car I reckon that’s what I will probably do when I decide to change my car.

[Auris James]

Sorry to hear that this has happened. Unfortunately the scrotes are having a field day as very little detection and prosecution and police mostly issue a crime reference number.

I have an Auris Hybrid and have fitted a modified cat cover from eBay. I hope it puts them off but you can never know. If they have time then everything is removable.

I probably wouldn't claim on the insurance.

Before lockdown for a laugh, had a price from "we buy any car". 2015 Auris Hybrid Icon plus, estate, 28,000 miles full history. £11,878. Today £9,780.00. Just shows expect a drop in used car prices?

I paid £13,590.00 In January this year. For me 3 cat thefts would be equivalent of the loss if I sold on.

James.

[T Sport 1978]

20 minutes ago, BhxTrev said:

TSport, sorry to hear that this has happened to you. Toyota quite rightly says it’s not there fault that the cats get stolen but I would have liked to have seen the company doing something during the production stage to ensure the cat cannot be taken off the car very easily as it appears to be so. I was going to fit a catloc but I was told a while ago that they don’t make them for the Gen4 models, so that’s a none starter. I also read that even with a catloc, the cat can easily be cut of in next to no time. It’s putting me off buying another Prius a car I’ve been very happy with. I have been mulling over having an electric vehicle which means unfortunately moving away from the Toyota marque but with the recent increases in range & the fact there’s no exhaust & therefore no cat on an electric car I reckon that’s what I will probably do when I decide to change my car.

Car makers do need to make the design such that at least, to the common scum, would find it even slightly challenging to attempt such a thing.  Same thing with keyless entries, these both technologies are costly things, and thus needs a better suited level of protection.

But saying that, I would rather somehow solving this problem at the end point where these low life get their rewards for their "work".  Scrappies and or unscrupulous garages where they accept these clearly stolen parts, would be punished heavily for paying out for them.  

I have no intention on changing my car in reaction to these lowest of low pond scums, and if all i can do is to slow them down a little bit and make it more difficult, then so be it.  Of course, if this really turns out to be a persistent issue, I might just have to admit defeat, but to sway my life to dodge these diseased pus of individuals, I find that to be even harder to swallow than to change my car.

 

[T Sport 1978]

 

13 minutes ago, Auris James said:

Sorry to hear that this has happened. Unfortunately the scrotes are having a field day as very little detection and prosecution and police mostly issue a crime reference number.

I have an Auris Hybrid and have fitted a modified cat cover from Ebay. I hope it puts them off but you can never know. If they have time then everything is removable.

I probably wouldn't claim on the insurance.

Before lockdown for a laugh, had a price from "we buy any car". 2015 Auris Hybrid Icon plus, estate, 28,000 miles full history. £11,878. Today £9,780.00. Just shows expect a drop in used car prices?

I paid £13,590.00 In January this year. For me 3 cat thefts would be equivalent of the loss if I sold on.

James.

Auris HSD just doesnt hold their values well I'm afraid as I owned one and knew what it lost in value.

Since this is the first time I experienced this little problem I just dont have the desire to jump, yet.  

[Auris James]

55 minutes ago, T Sport 1978 said:

 

Auris HSD just doesnt hold their values well I'm afraid as I owned one and knew what it lost in value.

Since this is the first time I experienced this little problem I just dont have the desire to jump, yet.  

I wouldn't jump too, so don't blame you for keeping the car. I like the new used corolla. Like a 2019 1.8 hybrid touring in Icon tec. scarlet flare but 22k used. Not justified in paying 10k more. Get use out the Auris at half the cost.

James.

[FROSTYBALLS]

31 minutes ago, T Sport 1978 said:

Before lockdown for a laugh, had a price from "we buy any car". 2015 Auris Hybrid Icon plus, estate, 28,000 miles full history. £11,878. Today £9,780.00. Just shows expect a drop in used car prices?

Bear in mind that British Car Auctions (BCA) own We Buy Any Car, and use We Buy Any Car to source vehicles for their auction business. Their car valuations depend on what the demand is, and currently with COVID-19, car dealers being closed, etc, demand will be difficult to quantify, whether it is an Auris or otherwise. Physical car auctions are currently closed, leaving their digital services still operational.

[Auris James]

25 minutes ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

Bear in mind that British Car Auctions (BCA) own We Buy Any Car, and use We Buy Any Car to source vehicles for their auction business. Their car valuations depend on what the demand is, and currently with COVID-19, car dealers being closed, etc, demand will be difficult to quantify, whether it is an Auris or otherwise. Physical car auctions are currently closed, leaving their digital services still operational.

Thanks for the info. It will be interesting to see once dealers are open how the sale of new/used cars go and what affect they have on used prices. I'm not planning to sell, but feel sorry for those who have stretched themselves on finance. James.

[TonyHSD]

Used car price will rise a lot, new one will plunge down but even then there will be very small amount of orders. People are loosing jobs, life is changing dramatically and many things will not be the same as before March 2020. Btw there might be a lot of used Toyota hybrids for sale as second hand, coming straight from private hire businesses that also goes burst. 

[TonyHSD]

To the op, as an idea when you have your car sorted you may also remove all hybrid badges from the hybrid cars you have including the front and rear Toyota emblems if they haven’t got any sensors built in. Delete the blue background and fit them back as normal Toyota . For the Prius plus you can buy emblems for Scion cars from eBay or aliexpress, they should fit and will make the car look like far Asian model unknown to thieves and no hybrid badges they will drive past it without knowing it is a target. eBay uk sells cat covers that seems well made, easy diy fit plus they can be secure with wheel security bolts from Peugeot. We should make it as harder as possible for these who steal. 

[Auris James]

19 minutes ago, TonyHSD said:

Used car price will rise a lot, new one will plunge down but even then there will be very small amount of orders. People are loosing jobs, life is changing dramatically and many things will not be the same as before March 2020. Btw there might be a lot of used Toyota hybrids for sale as second hand, coming straight from private hire businesses that also goes burst. 

We certainly are in unprecedented times. Corona, and then the recession and paying back the country's debt.

James

[FROSTYBALLS]

No-one knows what will happen.

It will partly depend on whether dealers, when they re-open, keep their nerve and don't resort to panic selling to clear stocks of new and used cars.

Industry are lobbying for a second scrappage scheme - the first being in 2009 (schemes since then have been manufacturer based schemes rather than Government schemes). 

if a new scrappage scheme is introduced, a lot will depend on what criteria any new scheme has. The 2009 scheme targeted cars over 10 years old and vans over 8 years old. Due to waiting lists for new cars that emerged as a result of the scheme, owners of 3-4 year old cars tended to hang onto their vehicles, resulting in increased values for 3-4 year old cars, as demand exceeded supply.

[T Sport 1978]

36 minutes ago, TonyHSD said:

To the op, as an idea when you have your car sorted you may also remove all hybrid badges from the hybrid cars you have including the front and rear Toyota emblems if they haven’t got any sensors built in. Delete the blue background and fit them back as normal Toyota . For the Prius plus you can buy emblems for Scion cars from eBay or aliexpress, they should fit and will make the car look like far Asian model unknown to thieves and no hybrid badges they will drive past it without knowing it is a target. EBay uk sells cat covers that seems well made, easy diy fit plus they can be secure with wheel security bolts from Peugeot. We should make it as harder as possible for these who steal. 

Problem with the Prius+ is it can’t really be disguised, as there are no variations that are non hybrids.  

[FROSTYBALLS]

Or Daihatsu badges as the Prius+ was also sold as the Daihatsu Mebius in some Asian countries, albeit in five seat form.

[TonyHSD]

Good morning, 

I know Prius is a Prius and can’t camouflage it but Prius plus are not that popular and making the car look unknown model will make them confused  for sure. Also when you park it is a good idea to throw a blanket over the dash and gear shifter so they are not able to see if the car really is a hybrid or not. We also suffer from those thefts and we had done all the above and hope they will miss ours in the future. Daihatsu Badge will do it too. 👍

[Chris Dance]

I have had a catloc fitted to our Gen4 Prius. Dealer said at the time it was fitted that they had not heard of a cat being stolen with the loc fitted? (Hope it remains true)

The scum targeted the hospital and super market car parks here. No one was caught. They also did the High Wycombe public car parks; a lot of Toyota cars were done nobody saw anything no arrests made. 

The Toyota cars we have owned are the best for reliability and comfort and economy.. From the Avensis and every mark of Prius. I would be very reluctant to change from Toyota.

[T Sport 1978]

2 hours ago, Chris Dance said:

I have had a catloc fitted to our Gen4 Prius. Dealer said at the time it was fitted that they had not heard of a cat being stolen with the loc fitted? (Hope it remains true)

The scum targeted the hospital and super market car parks here. No one was caught. They also did the High Wycombe public car parks; a lot of Toyota cars were done nobody saw anything no arrests made. 

The Toyota cars we have owned are the best for reliability and comfort and economy.. From the Avensis and every mark of Prius. I would be very reluctant to change from Toyota.

Thats reassuring to hear about the catloc, no matter what I think i will be getting one fitted when i get the car back.

Scumbags...absolute scumbags preying on people at hospital car parks.  

This Prius+ is my 5th Toyota/Lexus and I love them, thats why i have no intention on jumping because of these scabs of society.