Please Don’t Steal My Catalytic Converter

It has happened again. 7:45 am, I am at work and I receive the following text from my Wife;

Hi love, something suspicious just happened outside the house by my car. Can you see that far out with the camera?

I call her right away, she further explains, in front of the house, a car pulls up next to hers, she hears a drilling noise.

She didn’t have to say anymore. I already knew what had happened. Yes, this is not the first time that the catalytic converters we’re stolen from one of our cars. In a matter of minutes thieves have gotten our EPA certified green house gas limiter.

Typical catalytic thief tool

How does this web work. Some sources say street thieves are getting anywhere from $25 to $300 per cat from scrap yards. The scrap yard sells to a recycler. The recyclers extracts and separate the precious metals.

Catalytics contain Platinum, Palladium and Rhodium, which are rare and in high demand. With the price of Rhodium selling for $22,000 per ounce.

NYC has an automotive jem nicknamed the Iron Triangle. It is a conglomerate of not too nice looking body, glass and muffler repair shops . It is in Willets point, Queens, across the street from Citi Field. Drive slow, the streets are poorly maintained. Within seconds of approaching, someone in the street will solicite you to their shop.

Take your choice anyone of the muffler repair shops will weld in a new universal catalytic converter for whatever the days haggle is. I got my new one installed for $170.

I hope you won’t have to visit this place. But if you have to, it’s a third world jem for a first world problem.