While not at the stage of sure nations, the pattern of catalytic converter theft in the nation seems to be to be on the rise, with extra cases of such incidences coming about. Thieves are concentrating on the part of the exhaust housing the merchandise, and no surprises as to why.
The unit – which adjustments dangerous substances discovered in exhaust gasses (carbon monoxide, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide and hydrocarbons) into much less dangerous substances like carbon dioxide and water vapour via chemical response – incorporates numerous valuable metals like platinum, rhodium and palladium in its development.
It is these metals, utilized inside the converter to behave as a catalyst that reacts with exhaust gasses, which are being focused, as a result of they’re price greater than their weight in gold, definitely in the case of the final two parts. Stolen gadgets are bought off to scrap metallic sellers for the worth of the numerous valuable metals, and that may fetch fairly a bit.
Last month, a lady revealed that the converter on her Honda City was stolen when the automobile was parked at Glenmarie LRT station automotive park whereas her household took the prepare on an outing to Kuala Lumpur. While autos left in unattended public locations may be extra vulnerable to such cases of theft, evidently nowhere is secure, not even your individual dwelling.
In a submit on the Prius Club Malaysia FB web page, Kuganesan S. revealed that the catalytic converter on his Toyota Prius was stolen, with the thieves jacking up the automotive and reducing off the part of the automotive’s exhaust housing the converter and oxygen sensor. He added that the substitute price, as quoted by the service centre, is RM5,100, and that he has lodged a police report for an insurance coverage declare.
Unlike the case final month, the theft didn’t happen in a public spot, however fairly in Kuganesan’s home, with the automobile parked outdoors. Occurences similar to these have gotten frequent – a buddy had the converter on his Honda Odyssey, which was additionally parked simply outdoors his home, stolen final yr, and the replacment price him a reasonably penny.
While it’s not possible to thwart theft utterly, there are methods to hopefully stop your automobile from being a sufferer. If you’re going out, park in effectively-lit – and populated – areas when attainable, and look into putting in an anti-theft machine on your catalytic converter or a vibration-triggered automobile alarm.
The final couple of things contain price, for certain, but it surely saves you the additional price down the line ought to the unit be liberated out of your automotive. More so for those who occur to personal one thing like a Prius, which in the United States is true at the prime of the goal checklist for catalytic converter theft resulting from its converter having bigger quantities of valuable metals.
