The Catlock Press Release
PHOENIX, July 6/Business Wire/ -- According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, in 2007 there were nearly 600,000 vehicle accessory thefts in the U.S. and since scrap metal recyclers began paying up to $300 cash per automobile catalytic converter, that statistic has certainly grown.
Catalytic converter theft in the news
Catlock in the news
September 28th, 2009
WSMV-TV Nashville
Businesses Hit By Catalytic Converter Thieves
Thousands of dollars in catalytic converters were stolen from a number of cars in Hermitage over the weekend, and business owners said this has been an ongoing problem.
September 22nd, 2009
Ahwatukee Foothill Newsr
Catalytic converter thieves back in AF
After slowing down, catalytic converter thefts in the area may be on the rise.
June 13th, 2009
The Orange County Register
Men arrested with 14 catalytic converters in truck
Two men are in custody today on suspicion of gutting car exhaust systems for valuable parts…
June 10th, 2009
myCentralJersey.comLinden cops probe rash of thefts of catalytic converters
The thieves crawl under vans and sport utility vehicles and quickly saw off the converters — perhaps intent on selling the vehicle part to a scrap metal dealer where each converter is worth as much as $200.
March 11th, 2009
MainStreet (powered by TheStreet.com)
Scrap Metal and Gold Thefts on the Rise
"Aside from auto design engineers, garage mechanics and gear heads, who cares about a run-of-the-mill catalytic converter?”
January 13th, 2009
Seattle Weekly
Your Undercarriage’s Hidden Value
In these hard economic times, catalytic converters are targeted for quick cash…
September 14th, 2009
Small Business Television
Theft Victims Fight Back
August 3rd, 2009
Automotive Body Repair News
High-riding vehicles and high-priced metals heating up rate of catalytic converter thefts
Thar’s gold in them thar catalytic converters. Not gold, really, but precious metals of even greater value – rhodium, platinum and palladium. And people with a larcenous bent are ripping them off at an exhaustive pace.
June 20th, 2009
The Arizona Republic
ASU students counsel startup entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurs Ian Monat and Steve Meislahn invested about $15,000 of their own money to develop the "Catlock," a device that aims to curb the theft of catalytic converters on automobiles.
June 12th, 2009
the ENGINEER online
Stop Thief
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 a piece from unscrupulous scrap yards.
June 12th, 2009
ASUNews
Entrepreneurs create anti-theft device for catalytic converters
In August 2008, Ian Monat became a statistic in the latest national larceny trend. In a matter of minutes, the catalytic converter beneath Monat's Toyota 4Runner – easily accessible because of the SUV's high ground clearance – was stolen.