Platinum in my catalytic converter4 $.

[excelscior]

A coworker friend of mine told me he had his catalytic converter stolen from his light pick-up truck last week. It will cost him about $300.00 to replace parts & labor. Now he tells me that there was a news cast a month prior telling people that crooks are stealing the CC's for the platinum in the CC and selling it for roughly $1500.00 per gram!!!!! How can that be???? is there so much platinum in a CC that the crooks can sell it right away? Why is there platinum in the CC in the first place and what places buy it for that much? Now I have to worry about my CC being stolen? Stealing gasoline, now this.......what's the world coming too?

[Lgbpop]

That newscast was probably a joke or complete BS. That story started going around in 1975 when the first converters hit the market. JC Whitney even sold a locking converter mounting bracket for about a year, but when the urban myth died so did sales.

It doesn't take much platinum for the converter to clean a car exhaust; the pellets in the converter aren't solid platinum, just plated. The amount of work needed to recover the platinum costs more than the platinum's worth. Think about it - you think some scrap dealer's gonna pay $1000-$1500 for a used converter when he can buy a new one from the dealer for less than $300?

[werz]

I'm beginning to think your coworkers are taking the pass out of you... :rolleyes:

[Steve R Jones]

platinum in the CC and selling it for roughly $1500.00 per gram!!!!!

It takes several CC's to get there...

But theft of catalytic converters is a huge business...There are tons of stories:

Catalytic Converter Theft on the Rise
http://www.carseek.com/news/april2008/catalytic-converter-theft-rising/

[excelscior]

Kinda what I figured as far as dollars wise. But there has to be a reason the CC are being stolen at a higher rate now. Oh well......

[Steve R Jones]

From the link I posted:

The catalytic converter contains platinum, palladium, and rhodium, all present to speed the reactions of key chemicals that scrub emissions at high temperatures. Selling the stolen devices at scrap yards and to recycling facilities, a thief can net $200 or more per converter.

200 bucks isn't bad for five minutes of work :r

[leprechaun_40]

What's even more fun is that federal emissions laws forbid the sale of used catalytic converters to replace the stolen ones, gotta buy a new one. Old ones are crushed and melted and the metals recovered. Thanks Uncle Sam.

[Steve R Jones]

SUV owners are getting hit the hardest...Don't even need a jack.....

[leprechaun_40]

Yup, not to mention having to mortgage the house to fill them up

Have you seen where some people are drilling holes in gas tanks and stealing the gas that way? Sheesh

[Lgbpop]

That's pretty danged stupid, risking their lives they are if they cause a spark.

I talked to a buddy of mine who works at the county's large private recycler. He says things have gotten so stupid with stolen metals (there were two pairs of thieves trying to cash in roller-coaster track stolen from a bankrupt amusement park here (http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080505/NEWS0110/80505040/1001/ARCHIVES), even) that they take surveillance pics of every vehicle & license plate that enters their property. They notify the police and sheriff's department when any unusual activity or trend starts so we don't see much of this going on for long.

[j.m@talk]

Have you seen where some people are drilling holes in gas tanks and stealing the gas that way? Sheesh

Been doin' that one years ............

Its a lot more polite to batt drill the fuel cap off & use a pair of 12v Jaguar In line fuel pumps & a bitta hose ........... Takes bout 2 mins to fill er up :D

[j.m@talk]

I talked to a buddy of mine who works at the county's large private recycler. He says things have gotten so stupid with stolen metals (there were two pairs of thieves trying to cash in roller-coaster track stolen from a bankrupt amusement park here (http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080505/NEWS0110/80505040/1001/ARCHIVES), even) that they take surveillance pics of every vehicle & license plate that enters their property. They notify the police and sheriff's department when any unusual activity or trend starts so we don't see much of this going on for long.

Honest Scrap men ? .......... Now that I don't believe :rolleyes:

[werz]

Honest Scrap men ? .......... Now that I don't believe :rolleyes:
He's making it up, or they tell him anything and he'll believe it.
Come to think of it, he even believes his president, now how gullible can you get.

[Lgbpop]

He's making it up, or they tell him anything and he'll believe it.
Come to think of it, he even believes his president, now how gullible can you get.
Werz, you putz, you must be proud of your ineffable ignorance. This place routinely cooperates with all law-enforcement investigations. There are honest people here. Not my fault you think everyone's dishonest. Usually, that's the sign of a dishonest man.

Also, it's a full-blown recycling center, not some scrap yard. Scrap yards to recycling centers is like werz to a human being.

[mireland]

Werz, you putz, you must be proud of your ineffable ignorance.

I have nothing to add... :D

[leprechaun_40]

I have nothing to add... :D
Nope, I think he pretty well covered it with that.

[drewster]

I have nothing to add... :D

I do, :r :D :r

[werz]

Werz, you putz, you must be proud of your ineffable ignorance. This place routinely cooperates with all law-enforcement investigations. There are honest people here. Not my fault you think everyone's dishonest. Usually, that's the sign of a dishonest man.

Also, it's a full-blown recycling center, not some scrap yard. Scrap yards to recycling centers is like werz to a human being.
Hahaha, I hit a nerve there.

[j.m@talk]

I'm off down the bank to make a withdrawl wiv my "Sawn Off Chequebook"...... I'll have you know I'm the most honest delinquent anyone could hope to meet...... If I say I'm gonna shoot ya, I pull tha trigger ...... Problem is me aim ain't as good as it could be...... What with the DT's & my Tourettes issues I rarely get anywhere ...... Ahh well Such is life ;)