blog cacophonyI am the victim of vandalism and theft.
On Tuesday I drove to the train station and parked on the fourth floor of the parking garage, like I usually do. I went to work. I worked. I returned to the train station. I got into my truck. I turned the key.
The truck roared like a fully packed, poorly maintained, high powered semi downshifting on the Grapevine. It roared so loud that it set off a car's alarm several spaces away. I had to go because I had to pick up my boys from karate, so I just drove it. I admit I was a little proud of my 16 year old junker gurgling and roaring down suburban streets. I felt a little like a rebel. I figured it was the muffler. I figured someone would yell, "Midasize it!" at me.
Today I actually looked under my car and discovered that my muffler was just fine. But something was inserted into the exhaust system that shouldn't have been: a cleanly sliced gap where the catalytic converter should have been.
Here's where the catalytic converter should have been, with helpful red lines to show where the slices are:
And here's a photo of the actual slice in the pipe:
I spoke with BART police on the phone tonight, and the officer said mine was the second 4Runner hit in this way, in that lot, on that day. Fargin' eyesoles. Bastages. I hope they catch them, string them up, draw and quarter them, boil the pieces in Tabasco, and feed them to the hundred Clarity of Night crows that like to pick at people's eyeballs and living flesh.
OK, maybe I don't hope ALL that. But this is gonna cost me a thousand bucks to fix. Anyone wanna buy a used, but very good condition, 1994 4Runner with only 130,000 miles? I'll throw in an extra gap in the exhaust pipe for free.
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12 comments:
I find one thought consoling when stuff like that happens to me: the people who are desperate enough to do such things are desperate enough to have to do such things.
Awe, man! Don't take it personal. It's the new fad for druggies - they steal the catalytic converters because the metal, sold for scrap, gets a pretty good price (so I hear). Your 4runner mustuv had a big one!
Good grief, that's appalling! Does your insurance cover it?
I can't believe people who would actually cut a part out of someone's vehicle in order to steal it.
I won't use my usual unparliamentary language here as this is your blog and you're more restrained but I sure as heck am thinking it.
Mighty bad luck PJD.
Kind of a weird thing to steal.
Still, take consolation in the fact that with all these stolen ones around, surely you could find a dodgy garage that will fit a 'used' one for less than the usual price. In fact, you might even get your own back...
Stephen--that is a most excellent point.
BSP: They hit two similar trucks in the same lot on the same day. I don't think it was personal. You hear correctly (about the sold for scrap part), at least according to the officer I spoke to.
FH, I've not called insurance yet but I think it will cover part. I'm guessing I have a $500 deductible, and the total work will be about $1,000.
McK: that was indeed my first thought. But it doesn't seem very likely.
I had an deliciously evil payback thought this morning...wouldn't it be fun to fix up the next catalytic converter so that any thief would be jolted by an electrical shock...not enough to kill anyone...just to taze him/her...unless the poor thief, unfortunately, has a pacemaker, which of course a jolt of electricity might do some real harm...
What a bizarre thing to steal, and you have my sympathies. I do like Stephen Parrish's comment, though. Retroactive karma.
It's not a bizarre thing at all to steal. Sounds like it's worth a lot of money. This happened to a friend of mine... her SUV parked in a hospital parking lot (she's a nurse), during the middle of an afternoon. Didn't anyone think someone under an SUV with a saw was odd?
One of the few times I'll disagree with Steve. This is a profitable crime. You don't need to be desperate...
This is a little beyond hubcaps, innit?
I am always amazed at what people will steal.
Is there no end to some people's dastardly deeds? :)
Sorry to hear it, Pete :-(
I think Stephen's idea might be a good consolation, as there's not much to do except eat the cost and file the claim. But in reality, someone skilled enough to hit two cars in the same garage and get away clean had already perfected this scam. That doesn't say desperation to me.
I've had my own issues with theft and console most heartily. Get em!
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