Toyota Prius - catalytic converter stolen

BillN_33

BillN_33

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We live on a quiet street in a village near Winchester, with houses both sides - almost terraced as all are very close together

all the house are quite old with no real garages - most car are parked on the street

On Tuesday night the catalytic converter from our neighbours Toyota Prius was stolen - cut off with an angle grinder

no-one heard anything

Can anyone recommend a good security system with CCTV camera etc.,
 
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Sadly it's a comon problem as they are valuable , You can buy cat locks now in a attempt to stop the theft
 
BillN_33 said:
Can anyone recommend a good security system with CCTV camera etc.,
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Are you DIY'ing - or getting someone in?

I would avoid the Amazon all in one packages where you get a recorder and several cameras in a pack from a non-name brand. Usually when something goes wrong you have to replace the entire kit. So although they look 'cheap' in the beginning - they can work out more expensive 6 months down the line when the first camera goes wrong.

One of the more reliable brands at the mid-range price point is Hikvision. A relatively stable app that allows camera access from just about anywhere with a wifi signal or a strong mobile signal. Decent cameras. And if something breaks - you only replace the bit that's broken.

The NVR's can be gotten for as little as a £100 for the budget model with 4 channels with POE connections, or around £200 for a mid-range 8 channel with POE connection, a 1tb surveillance hard drive for £40-45, your choice of cameras, typically £100-150 each for a decent one, some cable - and off you go.
 
I will second the recommendation about Hikvision cameras, as long as you are not paranoid about the fact that the company is owned by the Chinese Government who might want to spy on you & your neighbours.

We have 7x Hikvision cameras around our property, all connected by PoE switches to a cheap DELL server running Windows 10 & free CCTV management software called XProtect.
 
Contact your local CPO , they will not be able to recommend a brand ( for legal reasons ) but they should be able to advise what you need and provide a list of installers/suppliers.
As far as your neighbours car is concerned, Toyota were offering a Cat protector plate ( I don't know if they still are ) but my Auris was forensically marked with smart water by Toyota for free and the car is covered in stickers advertising the fact , the car is also registered on a UK database, I don't know if it will deter a thief but its better than nothing.
 
unless you are watching live CCTV they are pretty useless in these crimes, they will all be generically dressed in black covered faces and hands etc, if there is a vehicle it will be on false or hooky plates etc, they do go for certain cars like prius as they have large valuable cats.
 
Our opposite neighbour had some one cut the pipe to the cat. They were then disturbed because their neighbours CCTV had registered movement and the called them to say someone was under the car. Luckily only cost them £40 to have the pipe welded back together and they had yet to cut the sensor cable.
They started parking their car in the garage for about 4 weeks but its now left back on the front
 
Don't think cctv is much of a deterrent. They just wear a hoodie and do their bad deeds. And some of the cat nicking video I have seen are scary. Not sure you want to risk going after them.
 
BillN_33 said:
We live on a quiet street in a village near Winchester, with houses both sides - almost terraced as all are very close together

all the house are quite old with no real garages - most car are parked on the street

On Tuesday night the catalytic converter from our neighbours Toyota Prius was stolen - cut off with an angle grinder

no-one heard anything

Can anyone recommend a good security system with CCTV camera etc.,
Click to expand...


I had mine stolen from my Prius about 3 months ago. The car was on the drive overnight. My wife looked out of the bedroom window about 7.00am and told me that there bricks jammed against the two nearside wheels. There was another under the front offside when I went to check. The drive has a slight slope.

It would have cost me £1200 for Toyota to replace it so I went to the garage..it's a Tyre/Exhaust centre..where I've been going for years and they replaced it for £730 after-market. The o2 sensor cable was cut too. It was dangling down. I can't recall the name of it. The exhaust system is fine now. The thieves now know where a Prius lives so I had to take down some shelves in the garage and I have to keep it in there. Unless I can go somehwere where I can park the car near me..like at steam loco locations or the surgery car park etc I use my wife's car because these people go into supermarkets car parks and steal them. CCTV ? I wouldn't bother with the cost Bill unless you'd like to have one for any other purpose. They don't care about being on camera. They'll get about £400 for it. Sometimes the converters go abroad. One man in London took his Prius to have a new converter fitted and at 12 noon the garage told him he could collect the car. He did so and parked it outside his home and at 6.00pm it was stolen again. Hence why my car now lives in the garage but its a pain. I can me getting a regular car because it's a pain getting it in and out of the garage.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qybMIkySaXk
 
AgentOrange76 said:
Our opposite neighbour had some one cut the pipe to the cat. They were then disturbed because their neighbours CCTV had registered movement and the called them to say someone was under the car. Luckily only cost them £40 to have the pipe welded back together and they had yet to cut the sensor cable.
They started parking their car in the garage for about 4 weeks but its now left back on the front
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There was a case I read about where the householder heard the theft taking place and went out to the front and there were two men attempting to take the converter when two others got out of the thieve's car one with a metal bar, threatening the owner.
 
Mk2 MX5 cats are worth £600-£900 and are stolen regularly.
Some owners have been removing the original cats and selling them, then replacing with an aftermarket one costing around £100.
My Mk2 MX5 is kept in my garage at home.
Tbh I'm also considering selling the cat and fitting an aftermarket one as it does worry me that it could get knicked if I'm away for the day and park it in a public car park as they do get taken in broad daylight....
 
Is there anything special about Prius or MX5 CAT converters? Seems like only Japanese cars' converters get stolen?

Do I need to worry with a diesel VAG or a petrol (Ford era) Volvo?
 
wyx087 said:
Is there anything special about Prius or MX5 CAT converters? Seems like only Japanese cars' converters get stolen?

Do I need to worry with a diesel VAG or a petrol (Ford era) Volvo?
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They are easy to get to. Most other cars are under the bonnet.

Other cars that get done are Honda, VW and now they have also started on BMW. It is mainly the older models of the above as the new ones the have been moved up into the engine.
 
wyx087 said:
Is there anything special about Prius or MX5 CAT converters? Seems like only Japanese cars' converters get stolen?

Do I need to worry with a diesel VAG or a petrol (Ford era) Volvo?
Click to expand...

The older one Prius cars, especially, have a very high level of the precious metals. Toyota have reduced them in more recent models but whether that is a deterrent or not I don't know.
 
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