Stop thief

12 June 2009

The theft of catalytic converters in the US has become a national epidemic, since the parts contain precious metals that can bring as much as $200 apiece from unscrupulous scrap yards.

Now, a Phoenix, Arizona, start-up called Monat Technologies, established last year by entreprenuer Ian Monat and mechanical engineer Steven Meislahn, has come up with a $99 solution to the problem.

The Catlock, as the device is called, isn't the first product on the market to deter catalytic converter theft, but it has an adjustable design that allows it to be permanently attached to the catalytic converter of any vehicle.

Constructed from carbon steel, the product is less expensive, lighter weight and easier to install than its competitors, Monat said, and it features a steel cable that is virtually saw-proof and impenetrable without a special tool.

In use, the Catlock surrounds the catalytic converter with steel plates that are fastened together. A steel cable is then used to affix the steel plates and catalytic converter to the frame of the vehicle.

The steel plates are fully adjustable to fit the various-sized catalytic converters of nearly every make and model of truck, SUV and van on the market, particularly the universal catalytic converters often used to replace the original factory catalytic converter after one has been replaced due to theft.