Magna Volt hooked to the cat
From the link Nicole posted: "Last year alone, more than 14,000 were stolen from cars and trucks." Doesn't sound like a very common problem.
Regarding the cat protection plates, once they're already under the car, I wonder if the thieve's time would be better spent moving on to the next car, or cutting through the plate? I can't imagine it's super thick and it's soft aluminum...
Kicking the jack out might be the theft prevention method most likely to avoid suspicion. ;)
Depending on the thickness of the aluminum, cutting through it may be a huge pain in the ass.
Think like a thief. Every extra second you spend is an extra second you might get caught, or find yourself on the business end of a shotgun. Any added difficulty means it's not worth it.
Opti said:Live in a town that is well known to have a heavily armed population, has been working well for me so far.
Can confirm this
I personally wouldn't do anything. I don't think it is a common enough occurrence to do anything. If I looked at the risk-reward of it, I doubt it pans out.
That said, if I did do something, I would make them have to use two different tools to get to the cat. I'm thinking a large metal plate that requires them to use a saw to cut through, and then some galvanized steel rope that they'd have to use some bolt cutters (or at least heavy duty wire cutters) to get through - the rope and the saw don't jive well together.
Could always just get an electric car I guess. No cat, no cat theft risk.
Saw this and thought the group would appreciate. 
I find living in a very rural area away from other people helps to deter thieves... I know not much help. I also park a few feet from the door of my office at work. I also live in one of those afore mentioned places where lots of people own guns.
That being said a friend lost the Cat off his 4-runner in the at Texas Roadhouse parking lot while at dinner a few years back.
AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) said:Buy a pre-1972 vehicle.
Why skip '72, '73, and '74?
cats are '75 and up for passenger cars and a bit later still for light trucks and SUV type vehicles.
Antihero (Forum Supporter) said:Opti said:Live in a town that is well known to have a heavily armed population, has been working well for me so far.
Can confirm this
Would shooting and possibly killing someone for it be considered reasonable (non-prosecutable) where you live? As far as I can tell trespassing is not a shootable transgression in any state. Not sure about attempted theft, but I have doubts. Even Texas only allows it in the case of robbery, but robbery requires a threat of force.
Obviously, someone who might do it, might not want to take the risk, but for a tweeker looking for some quick bucks might not even give it a second thought.
In other words, you might want to check your local laws before you pop a few in a cat theft dufus. Putting a few in the dirt near them is likely all good for most less that strict states I would suspect though (being aware of ricochets of course).
aircooled said:Antihero (Forum Supporter) said:Opti said:Live in a town that is well known to have a heavily armed population, has been working well for me so far.
Can confirm this
Would shooting and killing someone for it be considered reasonable (non-prosecutable) where you live? As far as I can tell trespassing is not a shootable transgression in any state. Not sure about attempted theft, but I have doubts. Even Texas only allows it in the case of robbery, but robbery requires a threat of force.
Obviously, someone who might do it, might not want to take the risk, but for a tweeker looking for some quick bucks might not even give it a second thought.
In other words, you might want to check your local laws before you pop a few in a cat theft dufus. Putting a few in the dirt near them is likely all good for most less that strict states I would suspect though.
Generally (but not in all states) purposefully shooting into the dirt is a reckless discharge of a firearm.
No one said anything about discharging a firearm or popping a few in anyone.
LIVING in a place with a more armed population often equates to less crime. Nothing about shooting. Just about owning.
SVreX (Forum Supporter) said:LIVING in a place with a more armed population often equates to less crime. Nothing about shooting. Just about owning.
I hear this a lot and I know people believe it to be true. But is it? Does anyone know?
In reply to LopRacer :
Living in a rural area away from other people can have you come home from holidays to a house stripped of copper wire and pipe.
In reply to Saron81 :
I have a stupid high 4x4 , even fat me could reach under and cut it off without having to Jack it up. ( I don't have to to change the oil).
More and more I want an EV
Robbie (Forum Supporter) said:SVreX (Forum Supporter) said:LIVING in a place with a more armed population often equates to less crime. Nothing about shooting. Just about owning.
I hear this a lot and I know people believe it to be true. But is it? Does anyone know?
It's pretty hard to have solid statistical data on that, because demographics also affect gun ownership rates. Rural areas will have more guns per capita, urban areas will have fewer. Too hard to have real data.
Take a look a Kennesaw GA. Suburban/ Urban area near Atlanta. In 1982 they passed a law requiring every head of household to own a gun. Crime rates are extremely low (although it is unclear whether that can be directly attributed to gun ownership)
Crime rates are lower in rural areas. Is that because they own more guns? I don't know.
Streetwiseguy said:In reply to LopRacer :
Living in a rural area away from other people can have you come home from holidays to a house stripped of copper wire and pipe.
Sadly very true thankfully copper theft seems to be less of a problem here for finished/occupied homes. they want the houses under construction (less work) or left vacant for a long time (thinking of some people's mountain vacation rentals) around here. I still have neighbors just not a bunch of them.
Probably best not to go down this road too far. The main point of this sub-topic being:
Probably not a good idea to shoot people stealing cats, or shoot near them, and in some cases even bring a gun out and/or point it at them. (which could be implied from the ownership comments I think, maybe I am wrong)
As far as stats, yes, it appears to not be studied much (which is pretty shocking). It seems pretty clear gun ownership rates are highly correlated with gun deaths (kinda of a duh). Sadly a unfortunately large percentage of those are suicides.
As far as crime rates, I could only find this (which is country based) https://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-93431300444-0/fulltext and it really only shows that crime and gun ownership are not related (not positive or negative). Not a definitive result of course. I suspect the reality is, as with many things, it is far more related to the owners behaviors and motivations, than the ownership (e.g. guns don't kill people, they just make it way easier for other people to kill them).
In reply to aircooled :
No, my ownership comments mean absolutely nothing about waving a gun at people.
It means that in areas like Kennesaw which have a high percentage of gun ownership, low crime rates are sometimes attributed simply to ownership.
The theory is that criminals hesitate to commit crimes in places when they know a high percentage of the populace is prepared to defend themself against crime. You don't have to shoot people, discharge a firearm, or ever show it to anyone. It's known that the populace has the capacity and will to defend themselves, and that they don't need to wait for law enforcement officers to respond to an incident.
It's simply a matter of statistics. More people with the will and capability to respond to a crime theoretically means less willingness on the part of criminals to commit a crime. It's easier to move to the next town.
Same theory as the cat theft theory. Anyone with a sawzall in their hand can cut off a protective plate prior to stealing the cat pretty simply, but having one is still a deterrent because it makes it a little harder.
Note that Kennesaw never required anyone to have ammo, or be skilled at handling a weapon. Just more ownership. The crime statistics dropped.
My pal's work van got its cat stolen a few weeks ago and one of mine got hit last week. Right now the solutions are cabling it to the crossmember, and parking the damn things elsewhere.
But I sure like the electric fence to the cage idea.
aircooled said:Antihero (Forum Supporter) said:Opti said:Live in a town that is well known to have a heavily armed population, has been working well for me so far.
Can confirm this
Would shooting and possibly killing someone for it be considered reasonable (non-prosecutable) where you live? As far as I can tell trespassing is not a shootable transgression in any state. Not sure about attempted theft, but I have doubts. Even Texas only allows it in the case of robbery, but robbery requires a threat of force.
Obviously, someone who might do it, might not want to take the risk, but for a tweeker looking for some quick bucks might not even give it a second thought.
In other words, you might want to check your local laws before you pop a few in a cat theft dufus. Putting a few in the dirt near them is likely all good for most less that strict states I would suspect though (being aware of ricochets of course).
Like SVrex said, no one said anything about actually shooting anyone, just ownership.
Actually this brings up an interesting example of guns. A lot of people, including yourself it seems, equates guns to equalling violence. I, and most rural people, equate guns to......having a gun. I literally see multiple people a day carrying guns.
Also in Idaho the laws are fairly draconian with property rights. Castle Doctrine means that you can defend yourself, your loved ones and your property with lethal force. There are also some pretty strict laws on trespassing and/or breaking and entering. Basically it's described as if you enter another's property without consent, you give up all rights.
But that's about 4 steps above the actual issue. Basically, everyone owns guns and it's safer to not play that particular game. The best use of force is the threat of force basically
So why aren't cats vin or ID stamped? Seems like that would at least make it possible to trace.
I know it's not perfect, but that's why all body panels now have vin stickers, no?
Or what about simply stamping your own cat with the letters "this is stolen, call police"?
Robbie (Forum Supporter) said:So why aren't cats vin or ID stamped? Seems like that would at least make it possible to trace.
I know it's not perfect, but that's why all body panels now have vin stickers, no?
Or what about simply stamping your own cat with the letters "this is stolen, call police"?
The VIN being on the cat isn't a terrible idea really.
In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :
Because they are melting them down for the precious metals. Who cares if they have a VIN number?
If you find a back alley factory melting down thousands of cats without a recycling license, you've probably found criminals. I don't think you will need VIN numbers to prove it.
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