Catalytic Converter Thefts

[FROSTYBALLS]

New topic not needed. Topics merged.

[Lewii07]

On 9/27/2019 at 11:01 PM, Fostel said:

The way you park Auris and Prius seems not to be an issue for thugs...

 

This looks like the same S-max which stole my cat on Wednesday at work. Did 3 in the car park with security and cameras. 
 6 months on and they’re still getting away with it! Just sold my Auris unfortunately. Really enjoyed the car but didn’t enjoy this experience. 

[Timmon]

I expect you saw / heard on the news this week, that Hybrid owners are facing insurance hikes this year due to the surge in theft?

Article in the Guardian covers CAT's but for those of us with key less entry, a double insurance hike whammy awaits.....

https://www.theguardian.com/money/2020/feb/01/catalytic-converter-thefts-hybrid-car-insurance-toyota-prius

It certainly makes me want to know when the Cat lock will be available for the new Corolla, even just to give some hope that theft (and resulting repair delay) might be avoided.

[TonyHSD]

All Corolla are same as Prius gen 4, there are some cat plates on eBay , they look well made and can do same job as Toyota ones. I personally fitted to my cars and all looks pretty good, will stop the thieves, I am not sure but will slow the whole process down and that might make them look another car. Hopefully. 
This is the plate: https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F283661401217

[Chattacks]

Surely then the Rav4 is a target as well as Lexus's? Most manufacturers will have/already have started to add mild hybrid options to their car models. This means that no one is safe? 

[Malcster]

Lexus CT is affected as it's based on the auris 

Old rx400 also is 

Proace anfd Hilux have kits available 

Yaris corrolla and Rav and chr and the rest of the Lexus range we have no reports of any theft's yet and catloc do not yet list a catlock for them 

I heard someone saying the cat is further up the exhaust on these models and is harder to get to 

[Louie]

The latest model Corolla's have had the position of the catalytic converter changed by locating it in the engine bay 

and as stated by a service dept manager in a Toyota dealership this would make theft very difficult. The model he was referring to is the latest GR sports

2 litre. I would assume this would apply to other Corollas such as the Exel or Touring but this needs to be verified by Toyota.

[Gerg]

On 2/9/2020 at 8:53 AM, Malcster said:

Yaris corrolla and Rav and chr

My local dealer said today that he has had one C-HR in for a cat. theft, I assume he meant a hybrid one.

And the spare parts I went in for have gone up nearly 20% since last year, after a price rise.

Magic.

 

[flash22]

There was a spate of 4-5 mk1 yaris's around here - but its mainly the prius and auris hybrids that get done - all the police say is chemically etch the cats

[TonyHSD]

1 hour ago, Louie said:

The latest model Corolla's have had the position of the catalytic converter changed by locating it in the engine bay 

and as stated by a service dept manager in a Toyota dealership this would make theft very difficult. The model he was referring to is the latest GR sports

2 litre. I would assume this would apply to other Corollas such as the Exel or Touring but this needs to be verified by Toyota.

Actually all Prius and auris hybrids has their cats located in the engine bay right behind the engine, this is not the problem, the catalytic converters of Toyota hybrids are pretty much located at the same place including your new Corollas, the problem is that there is a very large opening under the car and thieves get easy access to the bolts holding the cat converter to the engine, easy to undo, then all they need is to cut a relatively small pipe and take away the cat. The cat plate (Lock) limit the access those bolts and prevent the cat to be removed from under the car without removing the plate first. That is the whole point of it. You can believe what the other guys from Toyota say but I been standing under the car and watching what and how happens , not a difficult job for an average diy man, imagine for a motivated thieves. It is a matter of time Corolla and ch-r been done. 

[Louie]

I am seriously thinking about an alarm which senses the car being tipped for our enterprising car thieves who steal your catalytic converter.

However what happens when you park your vehicle on a steep gradient or on one side on a pavement and leave your alarm activated ?

 

[TonyHSD]

Maybe just remove the hybrid badges as mentioned in other topics and eventually fit under car plate to limit the access, this may work better then alarm. Late videos of cat thefts show thieves first look under the car if any protection is fitted then jack up and cut. Your car is GR spec will look even nicer without hybrid emblems, like proper sport model. 👍

Regards 

[Techead]

So has there actually been any cases of a Corolla Hybrid being targeted?

Apparently their newer cars, I assume Corolla included, have up to 84% less precious metals in the Cat, so not as attractive, though I guess only Toyota can confirm that unless someone else has other knowledge. 

[Malcster]

Toyota have just internally announced a tilt sensor which is due to be released very soon 

Expect Cost to be circa £100 

Still no reports yet of Corolla cat theft  at my dealership 

[bruce e]

2 hours ago, Malcster said:

Toyota have just internally announced a tilt sensor which is due to be released very soon 

Expect Cost to be circa £100 

Still no reports yet of Corolla cat theft  at my dealership 

This sounds like what we been waiting for 

Is this info From a reliable source?

i wonder if  DevonAygo can throw any light on this?

[Catlover]

Two things 1) people today tend to ignore alarms going off on cars, 2) the thieves seem to be so quick they are done in a minute or just over.             
So I not too sure they will be all that effective as a deterrent.            
Prefer to spend money on a plate..... would be thief sees that and decide it will take too much time to beat the device then remove the cat.

[bruce e]

11 minutes ago, Catlover said:

Two things 1) people today tend to ignore alarms going off on cars, 2) the thieves seem to be so quick they are done in a minute or just over.             
So I not too sure they will be all that effective as a deterrent.            
Prefer to spend money on a plate..... would be thief sees that and decide it will take too much time to beat the device then remove the cat.

Agree somewhat however Catloc not available fo all models Something is better than nothing

 

[Catlover]

8 hours ago, bruce e said:

Agree somewhat however Catloc not available fo all models Something is better than nothing

There are alternatives to the official Catloc available on the internet ie Ebay/Amazon costing from £30 then you get a local garage to fit or DIY. Forum members have been saying for weeks they have them fitted already. I am in contact with one business that it in it’s final testing of a protective plate, maybe another week and it will be available, a bit thicker plate then the £30 ones.

[AndrueC]

Just got back from holiday. Car left t B'ham Airport Car Park 1 - no damage. Luckily most of the time I park either in my locked garage or work's gated car park so I'm pretty safe. But I'm going to leave the HSD Badge off the rear anyway.

[Luke717]

5 hours ago, Catlover said:

There are alternatives to the official Catloc available on the internet ie Ebay/Amazon costing from £30 then you get a local garage to fit or DIY. Forum members have been saying for weeks they have them fitted already. I am in contact with one business that it in it’s final testing of a protective plate, maybe another week and it will be available, a bit thicker plate then the £30 ones.

You're right, quite a few advertised on eBay, eg, https://ebay.us/QQqyOz . That's for the Prius, though, for which I see loads of listings. But I can't find a single listing saying it's for the Toyota Corolla Hybrid, 2019 or 2020 models (if they're different spec in this regard).

Very interesting re the business you mention with a protective plate, keen to know more about that!

[Catlover]

Neville, I will stand corrected on this, but I think the 1.8 Corolla is the same hybrid engineering as the Gen4 Prius, so suspect the cat is in the same physical space and so the Gen4 plate may fit. However, that link you put up, the supplier also does earlier Prius and Auris models, and no doubt they are watching for trends, and now the Corolla has taken off in the UK if you ask the question of them I sure they can get a piece of correctly pressed metal with a few holes to fit 1.8 (and maybe 2.0) Corollas.

[Auris James]

I would be interested in the tilt alarm. It would draw attention if nothing else!

Once alarm goes off it would give me enough time to start the chainsaw and do some cutting of my own, LOL. I wish! At least even with plate and alarm I would know if my car is being attacked.

James.

 

[Catlover]

3 hours ago, Luke717 said:

You're right, quite a few advertised on Ebay, eg, https://ebay.us/QQqyOz . That's for the Prius, though, for which I see loads of listings. But I can't find a single listing saying it's for the Toyota Corolla Hybrid, 2019 or 2020 models (if they're different spec in this regard).

Very interesting re the business you mention with a protective plate, keen to know more about that!

I will post on this forum as soon as I know something. They said it would be soon, but don’t hold your breathe.

[Malcster]

Catloc is only for the following models at the minute 

Prius gen 2 onwards 

Prius +

Prius plug in 

Auris gen 2 only 

Proace 

Hilux 

Lexus rx400

Lexus ct 200

 

All other models 

Corrolla 

Yaris 

Chr 

Rav 4

We have had no reports within the network these vehicles being targeted suspicion is the cat is further up and too difficult or not worth it  

I know a few Toyota dealers had the compounds  done over so the thieves had all night and these cars were still not touched 

Tilt sensor is a more proactive measure to hopefully cause them to scarper but like previous poster stated everyone ignores car alarms 

Toyota are also offering upto £250 in servicing accessory  vouchers or basically a catloc if your cat has been stolen and you are waiting more than 2 weeks for a replacement one (cats are currently on back order at the minute again )

[KQ2020]

I agree that most car alarms are ignored but would it be possible to fit this type of alarm, linked to a title sensor, to an Auris or Prius hybrid: 

http://www.clifford.co.uk/ProductPages/Accessories_516L.html

the idea being to have a specific voice alarm message (rather than a generic alarm sound) asking anyone who hears the message to call the police as the individuals are stealing the cat and are criminals.

Does anyone think this, along with a catloc and de-badging, might be and effective form of protection?