# NPR finally catches up with catalytic converter theft **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [April 30, 2021, 11:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/npr-finally-catches-up-with-catalytic-converter-theft/176460 "2021-04-30T11:15:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RandomTroll](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/randomtroll/32/12184_2.png) [@RandomTroll](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RandomTroll)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2021, 11:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/npr-finally-catches-up-with-catalytic-converter-theft/176460/1 "2021-04-30T11:15:48Z")
> **[Why There Is Big Money In Stolen Catalytic Converters](https://www.npr.org/2021/04/30/992298600/why-there-is-big-money-in-stolen-catalytic-converters)** > > Catalytic converters on the underside of vehicles help reduce emissions. But rising prices for some metals has led to a jump in them being stolen, and some unique theft prevention methods. They interview a mechanic who welds on a couple of pieces of rebar for $75. ---
**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2021, 2:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/npr-finally-catches-up-with-catalytic-converter-theft/176460/2 "2021-04-30T14:19:19Z")
The rebar lowers the car’s center of gravity, too! ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2021, 3:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/npr-finally-catches-up-with-catalytic-converter-theft/176460/3 "2021-04-30T15:53:22Z")
> [@shanonia](#): > > The rebar lowers the car’s center of gravity, too! True…but I seriously doubt it could be measured. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2021, 4:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/npr-finally-catches-up-with-catalytic-converter-theft/176460/4 "2021-04-30T16:09:10Z")
Thieves can defeat the rebar with hydraulic bolt cutters. Think jaws of life, or some other BFH analog. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2021, 5:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/npr-finally-catches-up-with-catalytic-converter-theft/176460/5 "2021-04-30T17:36:09Z")
You can cut re-bar with the same saws-all with a metal blade you are cutting the exhaust pipe with. Re-bar isn’t hardened steel. Just takes the thieves a little more time. Now a little drill rod across the pipes… That would make the blade unhappy! ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2021, 5:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/npr-finally-catches-up-with-catalytic-converter-theft/176460/6 "2021-04-30T17:44:51Z")
NPR catches up? It used to be hilarious to watch the TV news in the the UK. They would simply hold up the daily paper and point to the stories and read them. No need for any news staff. Just copy whatever else someone puts out. I just used a metal cutting blade to cut rebar, but it’s pretty cheap anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Whitey](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/whitey/32/24680_2.png) [@Whitey](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Whitey)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2021, 6:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/npr-finally-catches-up-with-catalytic-converter-theft/176460/7 "2021-04-30T18:42:08Z")
[post withdrawn by author] ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2021, 8:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/npr-finally-catches-up-with-catalytic-converter-theft/176460/8 "2021-04-30T20:45:19Z")
> [@bing](#): > > It used to be hilarious to watch the TV news in the the UK. They would simply hold up the daily paper and point to the stories and read them. No need for any news staff. Just copy whatever else someone puts out. That’s why the talking heads on UK news programs are referred to as “news readers”. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2021, 1:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/npr-finally-catches-up-with-catalytic-converter-theft/176460/9 "2021-05-01T01:22:05Z")
I heard it this morning while doing my errands Nothing new here You guys know my opinion about catalytic converter thieves and what kind of punishment I feel they deserve 😈 ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2021, 2:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/npr-finally-catches-up-with-catalytic-converter-theft/176460/10 "2021-05-01T02:38:29Z")
I still think the St. Paul Police are way ahead on this one by painting them. Then maybe put a note on it that this is my third one so please look elseware. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2021, 2:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/npr-finally-catches-up-with-catalytic-converter-theft/176460/11 "2021-05-01T02:48:16Z")
Glad St. Paul is doing so much better, remember my grandmother complaining one year because they ran out of funds to salt and plow the roads. Late 80s maybe. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2021, 2:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/npr-finally-catches-up-with-catalytic-converter-theft/176460/12 "2021-05-01T02:53:02Z")
I wouldn’t drought it but I was around there then and just don’t remember. Seems to me they were on a Jan to Jan fiscal year instead of a July to July so once January hit, they would have money again or maybe they could borrow a tank of gas and bucket of salt from Roseville or something. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2021, 3:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/npr-finally-catches-up-with-catalytic-converter-theft/176460/13 "2021-05-01T03:48:32Z")
This week a SUV came in with the catalytic converter missing, parts system shows 44 units on back-order for that part number, this theft problem is nation wide. No scrap metal dealer should buy catalytic converters that have been cut from the pipes, an old converter should have a flange or a slide over pipe connection. Ten years ago I was turned away from a scrap metal dealer because I didn’t have proof of the source of my metal. Today it seems that these dealers don’t fear being caught with stolen property, police are not going to be able to prove which vehicle it came from. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2021, 9:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/npr-finally-catches-up-with-catalytic-converter-theft/176460/14 "2021-05-01T21:00:40Z")
Just a couple of random comments on this story. The legit converter says he does not deal with anyone who comes in and cannot submit to scrutiny. He also says he gets 2000 converters a day from reputable suppliers around the country. I find it hard to believe all of those 2000 cats daily are legally sourced. I also find it hard to believe that it takes a long time to cut 1/2" rebar while ruining top line multiple blades on a top line SawzAll. I’ve cut 1/2" rebar at times with a hacksaw and ho-hum blades in no time at all although my preferred method is a narrow cut (.045) 4" grinding disc which will blow through rebar in a few seconds and said disc surviving many cuttings. As Mustangman mentions, drill rod is a different story. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2021, 6:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/npr-finally-catches-up-with-catalytic-converter-theft/176460/16 "2021-05-03T18:48:34Z")
Well, yes and no. In the US, TV and radio stations typically employ a department full of people to produce the copy that is read from the teleprompter by the _Talking Heads_. Much of that content likely originates with newspapers or news agencies, but then it is refined/rewritten by the station’s staff.