Converter thefts

[Soundguy]

say.. that handle wouldn't have anything to do with 'the wanderer' would it?

 

[kenmac]

Couple of new car lots were hit this past weekend around my area. New cars / trucks had Slashed tires & stole cat converters

 

[TCJatko]

I think the next new car antitheft option will be serializing your car. Numbers stamped or laser etched into all the popular theft items. As the parts are added on the assembly line the VIN number, or some part of it, could be laser etched onto the parts. If law enforcement catches someone selling a part a computer check would at least provide a link to the current owner or some database like NCIC.

I believe this is already common practice. Body panels have some portion of the VIN on them to deter "chop shop" operations. I don't think this applies to replaceable parts like converters.:thumbsup:

 

[Soundguy]

the vandalism on top of the thefts is just way over the top

 

[timswi]

man.. sign of bad times...

Not really..Last time this happened around here in any material fashon times were good and honestly they never got that bad in comparison to other areas..It's just opportunity..When I bought my truck, the dealer had all pickups backed as close to each rear bumper as possible to prevent tailgate theft..That was big a few years ago in these parts...Don't hear much about it now...The crack heads like raiding dumped houses for copper now...Some of the police blotter stories are hysterical...Those morons are even hitting utility sub-stations..A couple of them ended up like the cat on Christmas Vacation...Good, we don't need them out here anyway.

 

[rsewill]

I agree. Cut the hand off a thief, the willy off a rapist, ect. Crime is a dangerous business. I think a fair number if criminals should be shot by either law enforcement or private citizens like myself protecting mine and my neighbors property.

Too many bleeding heart liberals making it hard for honest folks like me to protect what's mine.

Chris

So you would cut off the hand of a CC thief? Is Sharia law popular in your state? Funny thing is the most conservative states are against the laws you want yet you blame liberals. Puzzling!

 

[aczlan]

As long as there is a market, there will be thieves. The scrap dealers buying this stuff know that much of it is stolen. We should license the scrappers, and only allow the yards to buy from licensed scrappers.

So, how would that affect someone like me who recently bought a place which has a bunch of farm equipment that is not hardly worth selling? Or, I start to clean the junk out of the shop and hedgerows?
They already get my DL before they pay me, there should be penalties for dealers who buy from questionable sources, they see enough to know when something isn't kosher, require them to pay everyone with checks mailed to their DL address, then give them a hotline where they can report suspected thieves.

Aaron Z

 

[cibolo74]

we are still having problems with this in central texas. especially at wrecker yards. They get in there and cut them out and if they are able to get in the yard with out destroying the fence the owner of the yard doesn't even know until a customer comes to pick up their car and they are missing somthing.

 

[GLyford]

I believe this is already common practice. Body panels have some portion of the VIN on them to deter "chop shop" operations.

Even then, it only works if the resale is intended for the US. You can fit a lot of fenders in a shipping container.

 

[Soundguy]

So you would cut off the hand of a CC thief? Is Sharia law popular in your state? Funny thing is the most conservative states are against the laws you want yet you blame liberals. Puzzling!

a thief is a thief... no place for them in society. they are a parasite that lives off the work of others.

i take it from your defensive tone that you have a soft spot for some level of theives? perhaps CC thieves?

Do you condone theft? or are there levels / a threshhold you find ok? A lil theft is ok.. but not a big theft? Or does it depend on who is stolen from? A bank, rich, poor, etc, etc?

seems i may detect a bit of thief advocacy here?

soundguy

 

[Diamondpilot]

a thief is a thief... no place for them in society. they are a parasite that lives off the work of others.

i take it from your defensive tone that you have a soft spot for some level of theives? perhaps CC thieves?

Do you condone theft? or are there levels / a threshhold you find ok? A lil theft is ok.. but not a big theft? Or does it depend on who is stolen from? A bank, rich, poor, etc, etc?

seems i may detect a bit of thief advocacy here?

soundguy

Could not agree more. I work for what I have. Plain and simple.

Chris

 

[JDgreen227]

a thief is a thief... no place for them in society. they are a parasite that lives off the work of others.

i take it from your defensive tone that you have a soft spot for some level of theives? perhaps CC thieves?

Do you condone theft? or are there levels / a threshhold you find ok? A lil theft is ok.. but not a big theft? Or does it depend on who is stolen from? A bank, rich, poor, etc, etc?

seems i may detect a bit of thief advocacy here?

soundguy

Soundguy...if we want to define it, the majority of adults steal in ways we don't even think about at the time we do them. Those who make personal phones calls or surf the net or copy their papers on their employer's copy machine while on the job are basically stealing. How many of us cheat on our taxes, use a company car for personal business, pad an expense account, or add an hour of time to our time report?

We are all going to view theft differently as to what is ok or not ok and I didn't start this thread so it would become a debate about what degree is right or wrong. So please, let's drop any argument about levels and threshholds. Thanks.

Main reason I began the thread was for laughs, pointing out the inane suggestion of welding a converter to a vehicle frame.

 

[jwstewar]

Converter theft is still pretty prevalent around here. I heard a couple of months back that they hit a new park & ride the state just built. Got 15 cars/trucks in 1 day. Funny the story never made the paper or even "police report" in the paper. The only reason I heard about it is because I have a buddy that is an auxillary Sheriff's Deputy and an axuillary Policy Officer. State didn't want anyone hearing about the "poor security" of their new parking lot and not using it.

 

[Soundguy]

Could not agree more. I work for what I have. Plain and simple.

Chris

And I'll add the word that diamond pilot probably accidentally left out... 'hard'

I work HARD for what's mine, as I'm quite sure he does too,.

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

This make you uncomfortable?

I don't cheat on my taxes.. do you? you brought it up? I specifically decline taking a few exemptions and deductions I'm allowed to take just to avoid some of the hassle and paperwork.

i have a personal vehicle and a co vehicle.. if I'm doing personal stuff in my co vehicle it's because I called the boss and asked permission. at that point it is not theft.. it is a gift.

I certaintly don't pad expense reports or time cards....

soundguy

Soundguy...if we want to define it, the majority of adults steal in ways we don't even think about at the time we do them. Those who make personal phones calls or surf the net or copy their papers on their employer's copy machine while on the job are basically stealing. How many of us cheat on our taxes, use a company car for personal business, pad an expense account, or add an hour of time to our time report?

We are all going to view theft differently as to what is ok or not ok and I didn't start this thread so it would become a debate about what degree is right or wrong. So please, let's drop any argument about levels and threshholds. Thanks.

Main reason I began the thread was for laughs, pointing out the inane suggestion of welding a converter to a vehicle frame.

 

[CowboyRon]

So you would cut off the hand of a CC thief? Is Sharia law popular in your state? Funny thing is the most conservative states are against the laws you want yet you blame liberals. Puzzling!

But he was stealing something that helps our planet from polution. Does that make u mad now?

 

[JDgreen227]

Soundguy...discussion about theft does not make me uncomfortable but I feel this thread isn't the place to debate as to what's right or wrong about it. Sorry if you feel I was critical about you but I don't recall singling out you in particular. After I retired I had a sideline part time carpentry business and could have padded my bills or cheated on taxes but I was dead honest about that as well as every personal tax return I have ever filed. Not saying I am innocent of petty theft however.

 

[Soundguy]

i see nothing inherently inappropriate about the discussion about the legitemacy ( or not? ) of theft.

It's a complicated issue... and I think it mostly boils down to intent, reguardless of monetary value.

If I go into my employers storeroom and palm a 45 cent box of paperclips, and stick em in my jacket and take them home.. I've knowingly stole from my employer. If I'm at work writing some documents, etc.. and I stick my pen in my shirt pocket at the end of the day and when at the house, it gets tossed on the nightstand when i put my shirt in the laundry hamper, and then in the morning i forget and leave it there.. at that point.. with no intent, some conversion has taken place.. might even have been worth more than the paperclips.

I don't want an employee that is going to steal with intent.

the average joe that , without intent , converts soemthing... well... I believe it's different based upon circumstances. the law seems to think so to. 'intent' is a huge determining factor as to whether something becomes illegal or not.

I'm sure I got some ink pens from work at my house.

I also know, on the flip side, I've brought in my own supplies to work with.. or worked from home using my own unbilled time and expendables, and consider then 'in kind' cost of doing buisness / residual loss, and don't set around biting my nails about it.

it's the guy that makes the self determination to lift something.. that's the issue...

soundguy

 

[logdog]

I have been known to steal a few women's hearts.....And I did it with intent!