gonewalkabout Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 I went to collect my motorhome from storage yesterday, only to find the catalytic converter had been stolen. Police have been to investigate the "crime scene" but I have not yet had any feedback. I am concerned as there are many motorhomes parked on the site and it is more than likely that other vehicles have also been targeted. So if you have your vehicle stored, it might be worth checking your vehicle is intact. A replacement Cat from Peugeot would have been between £1k to £1,500 and would not have been available for a period of time. However, Halfords Autocentre came up trumps. A replacement cat was couriered and fitted today for £528 and I have now moved the van to another storage site. I had already arranged to relocate my Motorhome as the new premium for storage rental at the site in question had risen to an unacceptably high rate. I had already taken an extra price hike last year as, at that particular site, Motorhomes are classed as twin axle caravans, even though the Motorhome is shorter than my previous single axle caravan. Perhaps Motorhome owners are expected to pay more! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Thanks ;-) So sorry for you . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w1ntersun Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 I presume it was " secure storage " and they were insured and you are claiming off them, Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Apparently the latest low life one is to drill holes in fuel tanks to drain the fuel out, nice world we live in now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Sorry to hear that, but thanks for the info. The Government are withdrawing benefits from people where there are no jobs, so I guess we will see more of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyketton2 Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Sorry to hear about this. We are on the same site (at the moment) and we have been away for a few days. Got back yesterday afternoon so we may have been lucky. Do you know how many were stolen, and when, and whether security has been increased? Sandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Before you rush off to get a new cat, have a thorough read of these two, related strings: http://tinyurl.com/7mo2kwh and http://tinyurl.com/84d9awg It seems that there is no obligation, at present, to replace cats on diesel vehicles, providing they pass their MoT without a cat. You may need to speak to the insurer, to explore their attitude, but if you are prepared to buy and fit a cat replacement pipe instead of a cat (much cheaper), and then see how it fares at MoT, you'd only need to replace the cat if it fails or cannot be tuned to pass. I'm wondering, if your van is some way from needing an MoT, if the insurer will "wear" a deferred claim, on that basis that they only pay for the cat if the vehicle cannot pass its MoT without. In addition to the advantage of a cheaper remedy, if it works, is that you avoid all risk of further cat theft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Might be worthwhile for people who have not had their cat nicked to remove it and replace it with a de-cat pipe and if it passes the MOT to then sell it on E.Bay for a tidy sum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Peter James - 2012-02-18 11:02 AM Sorry to hear that, but thanks for the info. The Government are withdrawing benefits from people where there are no jobs, so I guess we will see more of this. Yes I was out of work in the 80s, I went out nicking everything in sight. PLEASE folks make it easier for them, take your Cats off for the low lifes, and maybe leave a food parcel for them by it as well. Peter James has just got to be a social worker as he comes up with this crap time and time again. >:-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 1footinthegrave - 2012-02-18 4:42 PM Peter James - 2012-02-18 11:02 AM Sorry to hear that, but thanks for the info. The Government are withdrawing benefits from people where there are no jobs, so I guess we will see more of this. Yes I was out of work in the 80s, I went out nicking everything in sight. PLEASE folks make it easier for them, take your Cats off for the low lifes, and maybe leave a food parcel for them by it as well. Peter James has just got to be a social worker as he comes up with this crap time and time again. >:-( Well, it was an OT post, but all it really says is that with greater hardship, comes the risk of greater theft. It neither condones nor condemns, nor accuses the unemployed. Bit of a SOTBO, in fact? The crime of the wealthy is fraud, it is generally the poor who resort to nicking metals etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonewalkabout Posted February 18, 2012 Author Share Posted February 18, 2012 Thanks for your commiserations. Sandy – good timing on your part. I have not yet been able to establish if other MHs were targeted. The site owners were not very forthcoming and I have not yet had feedback from Essex Police. I will let you know when I find out. No, I am not aware of any increased security. I was also concerned that there appears to be an increase in the amount of commercial storage. I needed to get the van sorted quickly and got a replacement from Halfords yesterday and have already moved it to another storage site. I know that Marquis remove the cats from vehicles on display/store. So whilst the van was on the ramp, I took the opportunity to see how easy the job would be. It seems fairly easy to fit and remove (as we know) –The rear section tube of the cat slides into a tube attached to the silencer and is clamped, and three bolts secure it to the manifold at the front. So it is definitely a possibility if you don’t mind the hassle. I also thought about the straight pipe replacement but I’m not aware of anything readily available. Perhaps there is marketing opportunity for an entrepreneur to come up with a "pseudo-cat"! As far as claiming on the site’s insurance is concerned – theTs&Cs state vehicles are stored at owner’s risk. I suspect that most storage sites are the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowie Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Hi Onefoot; I agree with you; and that surprises me a little. I think Peter James is wrong to link these two types of crime to the current economic situation. I think people who drill holes in fuel tanks are criminal, I don't object to the term lowlife, but others may well. I've been made redundant ( in the last real recession)etc etc, and never considered theft as a way of life, I became self-employed. Others may have had a similar experience to me but made a different choice. It's a pity that this forum becomes so confrontational so quickly, I'd prefer it if politics was kept out of it, cheers alan b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Brian Kirby - 2012-02-18 5:03 PM Well, it was an OT post, but all it really says is that with greater hardship, comes the risk of greater theft. It neither condones nor condemns, nor accuses the unemployed. Bit of a SOTBO, in fact? The crime of the wealthy is fraud, it is generally the poor who resort to nicking metals etc. Thank you Brian. Its good to know someone understood what I was trying to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike 202 Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Not a Cat stolen, but the complete van from a secure site in the Portsmouth area. Apparently the keys were left in an office on-site and the thieves merely took the keys then the van, smashing through barriers to get out. I was told that the van had a tracker fitted and that the van was recovered together with the thieves. The thieves hit another van in their haste to get away. So I believe that if you leave your van for repairs/servicing anywhere then make sure that the keys are locked away and not left on a keyboard when the premises close for the night. Most modern vans cannot be started and driven without the key due to imobilisers being fitted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 I wonder if this bloke left his keys, looks like lowlifes nicked the whole bloody thing just for the engine and gearbox, of course they probably made the judgement it was a low mileage, I mean how annoying would that be. Mind you, nice of them to leave the prop shaft in the back http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUTO-TRAIL-MERCEDES-SPRINTER-MOTORHOME-STOLEN-RECOVERED-UN-RECORDED-07973-636964-/110818098503?pt=UK_Campers_Caravans_Motorhomes&hash=item19cd45fd47#ht_1399wt_1306 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuxDeluxe Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Steering wheel was cut through so I guess that he had some sort of manual steering lock attached. What a mess....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Fit a secret switch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Losos Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 gonewalkabout - 2012-02-18 9:14 PMI have not yet had feedback from Essex Police. I had a letter from Suffolk Police last month warning that theft of catalytic converters was particulary high from Mercedes Sprinter and Iveco Daily vans. They provided the following links to anti-theft suppliers:- http://www.catloc.eu/ http://www.procatt.co.uk/ http://www.catsafe.org.uk/ http://www.vanlocator.co.uk/van-sales/2011/07/07/has-your-iveco-daily-got-a-cat-to-protect/ I have not contacted any of them so have no idea if any of them are any good but to me the idea of a cage sounds best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonewalkabout Posted February 24, 2012 Author Share Posted February 24, 2012 Update: I understand from the police that the site has not reported any other thefts of catalytic converters.. However there has been a big problem in Essex with over 114 "cats" stolen in the first three weeks of February and most of them in the North of the county. The Crime Reduction Officer advised me that there is CCTV footage from a compound in Witham showing thieves looking under vans and moving onto the next one if there was some form of protection. So perhaps any form of of protection will move thieves onto the next van! Interesting the police have changed the term from Crime Prevention to Crime Reduction! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Hi,,I am afraid not as they can cut through the so called protection like a hot knife through butter,,I think they may be just looking to see if one is fitted,,,Regards,Brendan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Losos - 2012-02-24 10:40 PM theft of catalytic converters was particulary high from Mercedes Sprinter and Iveco Daily vans.> Ground clearance on Sprinter/Daily is higher than X250 vans, so I guess that makes their cats easier to steal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Peter James - 2012-02-25 12:16 PM Losos - 2012-02-24 10:40 PM theft of catalytic converters was particulary high from Mercedes Sprinter and Iveco Daily vans.> Ground clearance on Sprinter/Daily is higher than X250 vans, so I guess that makes their cats easier to steal Problem solved then, just let all your tyres down, that'll stop em. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmaggott Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Peter James - 2012-02-18 11:02 AMSorry to hear that, but thanks for the info.The Government are withdrawing benefits from people where there are no jobs, so I guess we will see more of this. What a strange thing to say; one is either honest or dishonest. IE, if you would steal someones property you're dishonest regardless of government policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuxDeluxe Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Great idea, letting the tyres down - (lol) Trying to think of disadvantages to this ............. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Losos Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Peter James - 2012-02-25 1:16 PMLosos - 2012-02-24 10:40 PMtheft of catalytic converters was particulary high from Mercedes Sprinter and Iveco Daily vans.>Ground clearance on Sprinter/Daily is higher than X250 vans, so I guess that makes their cats easier to steal Oh hell my Sprinter is even higher than normal (4WD) and Onecal has said cages can be cut through like a hot knife through butter. Any suggestions people?????????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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