Cambridge Police report somebody cut and removed the catalytic converters from three cars in North Cambridge last week.
Shortly after 8 a.m. on Friday, a Rindge Avenue resident reported his car had had its catalytic converter removed while parked outside.
A Walden Square Road resident reported his or her car had had its catalytic converter removed, sometime between 5 p.m. on Wednesday and 7 a.m. on Thursday.
A Jackson Place resident reported somebody cut and stole her car's catalytic converter while it sat in her apartment building's parking lot, sometime between 3:15 p.m. on Wednesday and 6:45 a.m. on Thursday.
Neighborhoods:
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Comments
economy
By bike nerd
Mon, 10/29/2018 - 5:13pm
could this be an indicator that there's a problem with the economy?
It means there is a shady mechanic out there buying them
By BlackKat
Mon, 10/29/2018 - 6:09pm
Just like the grocery store shrimp thieves - who are clearly selling them through the back door to some restaurants.
Probably Not
By hundel
Mon, 10/29/2018 - 6:53pm
They are typically sold for scrap for their copper.
Platinum, not copper
By anon
Mon, 10/29/2018 - 7:01pm
The catalyst in a catalytic converter is platinum metal, a couple of grams (50ish dollars worth at current prices) in a car, more in bigger trucks, There isn't a meaningful amount of copper.
Doubtful
By anon
Mon, 10/29/2018 - 7:04pm
Cats don't typically use copper as a catalyst (nor are any significant parts typically made of it), and the precious metals they do use are relatively hard to recover:
https://iscrapapp.com/blog/how-scrap-catalytic-con...
I find the shady mechanic hypothesis to be at least as credible as selling for scrap. I realize the scrap metal industry has a questionable reputation, but it'd be pretty hard to claim any sort of plausible deniability if somebody keeps showing up with cats.
Fair Enough
By hundel
Tue, 10/30/2018 - 12:24am
But since when do desperate addicts consider the challenges of recovery before succumbing to an impulse? (Only kidding as I don’t know these thieves are addicts but the pun worked to well in my head to pass up.)
Not copper
By perruptor
Mon, 10/29/2018 - 7:05pm
The catalyst is platinum or other precious metal.
Right
By hundel
Tue, 10/30/2018 - 12:15am
Just looked up the NYT write-up on catalytic converter thieves. Was recalling from memory. But you are right. The paper describes thieves targeting these parts for their platinum.
Commuter rail parking lots
By elbobo
Mon, 10/29/2018 - 6:21pm
Commuter rail parking lots have been hit hard for years by these thieves . Just put one in a Corrola, 755 for just the aftermarket part.
What the...
By anon
Mon, 10/29/2018 - 8:44pm
What the...
It's ...
By perruptor
Tue, 10/30/2018 - 4:06am
It's ...
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