Lost Cat

[BigDog]

Got phone call tonight from the Mrs on her way home from work tonight - car making loud whistling from underneath.  Fearing the worst (turbo?), I got her to nurse it the few miles home and I took it for a spin around the block - it was clear that the exhaust was blowing as soon as I started it. Looking underneath, the catalytic converter is MISSING.

 

I thought initially - oh well, 11 year old car with 180,000 on the clock, fair enough.  That thought didn't last long, upon slightly closer inspection some TOE RAG has STOLEN IT by cutting the pipes before and after with what I imagine were some sort of massive metal shears.  Call me a nutter if you want, but neither end shows any sign of rusting through and falling apart like previous times I've had exhausts fall off. Both ends have been squeezed to around half the diameter, please see attached photos.

 

So, now I need a new cat and the exhaust sections either side - basically everything from the turbo to the back box.

 

I guess I should let the police and insurance know, and I've not costed all the the bits yet. The odd thing is that a new cat is only

[xavier]

I'm truly speechless. It's a good job I can still type.

[bigdave982]

They steal cats to scrap them, or used to anyway

[sparky Paul]

That's been cut with a hydraulic cable cutter or similar. Unfortunately, looking where they've cut it, it could cost you a downpipe and middle pipe too.

 

They still steal these, and they know which ones to go for. Some are worth very little, some scrap at

Edited January 9, 2015 by sparky Paul

[BigDog]

Thanks all, Hertfordshire Constabulary have confirmed the same reason these get stolen. Another car was done in a nearby road the same night.

 

Lady from forensics also confirms the new cat will likely have a lower precious metal content and be less likely to get pinched.

 

Probably this will add up to >