94 Catalytic Conv stolen from Forest River

[creativepart]

Wow, Seems a Forest River plant in Elkhart, IN was closed from Dec 23 to Jan 3 and when they came back to work they found 94 RVs with missing catalytic converters.

https://wsbt.com/news/local/elkhart-...r-the-holidays

[Eagle5]

I found this statement from the report to be thought provoking and unsettling:

• But even for large companies like Forest River, that big of a hit can be detrimental. For a small business it could mean the end. Not just due to the cost but consumer confidence.

Eagle5

[deckape]

Time for the police to steakout a couple of scrap yards . Should be Id pictures of the thiefes when they show up to scrap them

[bigb]

Originally Posted by deckape

Time for the police to steakout a couple of scrap yards . Should be Id pictures of the thiefes when they show up to scrap them

My guess is that they are selling them to crooked exhaust shops and repair shops who in turn can legally sell them to scrap yards in bulk.

[creativepart]

I can't believe they leave the storage yard for a week (Dec 23 - Jan 3) without camera's, lights, security guards, etc.

From the news clip I posted it sounds like they don't have a clue when it happened even.

[21view24v]

Time for scrap yards to be held accountable: angry:

[gurroz]

The value is not in the scrap metal. These are brand new catalytic converters. They will sell them to dishonest auto repair shops at a sharp discount. The auto repair shops will charge full price and pocket the extra profit. Sad but true. Just my humble opinion as a seasoned investigator.

[Eagle5]

Hi Gurroz,
That really makes sense. It seems like metals recyclers would be a check-point for theft because there are so few of them. However, with so many repair shops, all it takes is one willing to accept and re-market the stolen goods and nobody is the wiser. Of course, a good investigator might just find the culprit.
Thanks, Eagle5

[Dave V.]

Hi Everyone ❗️This cat converter issue has been going on for quite a while here in Canada. The thieves are very brazen about stealing them and even do it in broad daylight.
The interest for them is some high returns on their precious metals inside. There are remedies like converter locking screens and other ideas.
Your local law enforcement should be able to provide some sort of info.
The thieves here use an angle grinder to remove them.
Hope this helps.

[DryCreek]

Originally Posted by deckape

Time for the police to steakout a couple of scrap yards . Should be Id pictures of the thiefes when they show up to scrap them

Well, even if they are having problems gathering steaks, maybe they can have burgers instead?

Someone needs to drive a stake through the heart of this issue.

[Dave V.]

Well to answer a few responses the cost to replace converters is not cheap. Some are up to and maybe more than $1100.00 and some insurance companies won’t reimburse for the loss. The major inconvenience is nothing to laugh at.

[NeilV]

If you have basic mechanical skills you can source a universal replacement catalytic converter for less than $100 and replace it yourself all done and told for less than $200 if you end up having to buy any pipe, clamps, gaskets or flanges. Probably for less than your deductible plus no increase in insurance costs due to the theft.

Perhaps they need to bring back hard labor, rock piles, stamping license plates and chain gangs so prison life will be much less palatable and prisoners will have to work to pay the costs of housing, feeding and guarding them so it will become profitable to incarcerate them due to it involving hard work and spartan living conditions with those conditions making it harder for thieves to justify the risk of getting caught. Right now its free room and board with no cost health and dental with too many recreational perks if you do get caught plus since prisoners are not working to pay for their keep we all have to pitch in to pay the full 40/60/80 thousand dollars per year when they do get caught and convicted. Mandatory restitution to the victims of theft would go a long way too. Imagine if the thief who stole that $1,000+ factory catalytic converter had to pay you 2 or 3 times to cost to repair things make up for the loss and inconvenience along with go to prison to pay that off via hard labor.

In today's day and age of web linked security cameras and facial recognition along with the high fees most storage lots charge it should be the norm that lots should have motion detecting cameras that record any movement in the yards especially after dark or when there should not be anyone in the yard due to lack of key-card access.