hey y'all...
With this cat theft seemingly out of control lately.... has anyone found any pre-fab solution for our old XJ's to help keep the criminal's mitts off our jeeps? Or good ideas that doesn't require being a welder with your own shop....
Future access is important...but enough protection to make the thieves move on to easier targets.
I know they seem to be targeting hybrids and newer vehicles...but I wouldn't put it past them to swipe it just because our XJ's are higher off the ground and easy access.

 

Punch all the guts out of it. Theif cuts it out, looks inside, gets mad, throws it down in anger, you hear it and wake up to take care of the problem.

A serious answer would be that anything easily installed by you is going to be easily uninstalled by a thief. They might have to come back a few times to scope it out and work at it over the course of a few nights but if they are determined, they will get it.

People can be shockingly bold when it comes to stealing things. Several years ago there was a crew of at least 2 people going around here locally cutting snow plow pumps off of trucks with a torch. Fire and showers of sparks wasnt enough to get them caught. I never heard if they got caught or not but people were parking their trucks against things to try and deter the scum. And they were still getting stolen.


Edit
that probably came across as a negative post. I'm definitely not saying "there is no hope and your cat will get stolen"
I've been hearing about this alot from all over the country and I am curious if a solution will ever be found

 

Probably not in the short term because there's no system in place for that part. It doesn't have a VIN... and if it did.. .there's no system to cross reference right now. It's going nuts here... I don't think they take any time to scope out.. they just drive down the street and slide under a car/truck and boom. so many park outside in their driveways here b/c they use their garages as extra rooms...so it's like a candy store to thieves.

 

Don't take this too seriously: you can actually install LPG which reduces CO2 and other emissions. You'll get through inspections.
In Belgium you do need to reach certain standards. Last year my cat started rattling so i just emptied it and install it back. This summer I got through inspections (which are pretty restrictive in Belgium).
Currently, we don't hear about people stealing cats in Belgium...

There are some kits to protect cats, but I do agree with TrailerTrash. There is pretty much nothing that isn't 1 minute cut through.

 

You can delete the watermelon and run a pipe with a bung and spacer in it. No watermelon, no problem.

 

i was very proactive in my approach to this issue. i installed a lift in 2014 which easily enables anyone to see that the cat is already missing. problem solved.

 

You guys need to sharpen up your searching skills. There are already multiple products available. There are two basic methods:


Some prefer full body armor, though....





Then there's the Paul Kersey approach.....

 

If you live in the ghetto, this isn't an issue. Most people go to the nice parts of town to steal cats. I have had a car on jack stands for months, with the cat just hanging there (engine is out of car). Would take a good 30 seconds to get it out. Still there....so ya, move to the ghetto, problem solved.

 

I don't know how effective it will be, but I use cameras and 9mm fasteners.

I wouldn't call my place the ghetto, but it is far from the nice neighborhood.

 

These have been becoming more and more popular, there's different ones, but they're all around the same price
https://www.autoaccessoriesgarage.co...RoCjhUQAvD_BwE



Not a complete solution, but definitely a deterrent. Most would be thieves will see this and move on to an easier target.

 

https://glitterbomb.com/

 

I hate those things with a passion. We arrived at a camp site a day after Canada Day this summer and the previous occupant had "bombed" it with tiny red maple leafs. What a mess. Last summer a site next to ours had a gender reveal party and bombed their site in blue. Within a half an hour the park rangers arrived with a pick up truck, dropped off about a half a dozen rakes and left. The expectant parents and their friends packed up as soon as they finished cleaning up, I think because they got kicked out.

 

Just don't have a cat on there to begin with.

 

I replaced my Cat for $A105 (US $75) about 2 years ago, and left the spent one with the exhaust place
Guess this was just before prices skyrocketed !

 

California mandated cats sell for near 400 bucks. very pricey.

A decoy cat might help solve the theft issue. A .357 may help too.