To cat shield or not to cat shield?

I keep seeing more and more people amongst the tundra subreddit getting their cats stolen. If I could make this post a poll I would, curious how many have had theirs stolen. It's an extra 300-500 I'd rather use elsewhere, but I suppose that's the gamble. My dash cam is in now so I feel a little better, but apparently tundras are just easy to hit.

 

Not sure where you are seeing 300-500 shields( other than some of the basic models), the products I have been looking at Millerkat, Catshield, Talon, Valhalla are are around 600 with the extra shield for the rear cats.

It is a gamble, spend the 600 for some deterrence, or risk Cat theft and then deal with the 8 month wait for replacement cats, being out of a truck, and whatever other damage done by the crooks, etc.

I totally agree, that is $ I would rather spend elsewhere. Not pulled the trigger yet, have been looking at shield options/cost/delivery times the past week or so, since local news ran a story about more frequent Cat thefts in my area. Its not been awful here, but some areas/cities are really bad with the thefts. And with the economy the way it is, 2023 will likely see an increase in thefts. It is not a problem that will be going away I am afraid.

 

I spent over $600 for the cat shields and would do it again. Unless you can go without driving your Tundra for 6 months or more I would get one. I got one almost 2 years ago when a couple of Tundras got hit at the movie theater I take my boys.

 

I'm glad I got the cat shields, it's like insurance.
I'd hate to be on vacation hundreds of miles away and my cats stolen. Couldn't drive home, have to find a local Toyota dealership and have it sit there for months. I'd have to get a rental to drive home and then drive back to pick up the Tundra when it's done.
Definitely worth the investment IMO.

 

The likelihood and impact of stolen cats depends on one’s circumstances…


Likelihood depends on where you live, where you usually park, where you travel, etc.


I normally park at home in a garage with security cameras, etc. However, mine were stolen while traveling in Dallas parked at an upscale hotel. Theft was captured on their security cameras… Dash cam and security cameras are of little use except in the extremely unlikely case of capture and prosecution.


The cost of repairs runs into thousands USD. Could go with straight pipe but illegal and/or inspection issue in most jurisdictions. Could go OEM, but known for universally throwing codes on the Tundras.


To go OEM and include repair of sensors and wiring also cut out has been taking 3 to 9 months. My truck sat on a lot in Dallas for 5 months and the cost was $7000 USD. Depends on insurance coverage you might have for that and cost of a rental car for months.


The impact depends on your circumstances again… in my case, I work from home and just shared my wife’s car for that time. Also, if you have the cash then you could buy a replacement to use during that time. That would probably be cheaper than a rental.


When I picked up my truck after five months, the dealer had some cat shields in stock and asked if I wanted one. I didn’t hesitate to say yes. I was going to park the truck outside that night at my sisters house in Dallas before returning home.

 

Do not know why a person would feel secure because of cameras on their vehicle?? That does not make any sense at all. Please do not think those would deter a thief!!! Does not make a difference where you park!! If your truck is outside for five minutes your cats can be had! that’s it the END!!!’

spend the money then you can rest a lot easier! Or not and wait for months and spend up to 7000 or more sometimes a lot MORE!! Or don’t!!!!! The choice is yours!

 

My company has multiple cameras and they parked the delivery trucks in front to deter thefts.
But the thief was caught on camera wearing a safety vest and even put out a safety cone while stealing the convertors.

 

Some of the cat thieves come armed now too. OP, I would get the shields and security bolts along with them. No place is safe from cat theft. Thieves don't care what the weather is, where you're parked, or what neighborhood you live in. They will take them in broad daylight with people watching them. @Classy63 at Valhalla plates are top notch and we highly recommend him.

 

Mine were stolen in the parking lot of my place of employment at noon.
It was 8 months and 5 days at the dealership before I got my truck back.
I drove the truck home and installed Vahalla shields first thing..

I have no doubt in my mind if I would have had shields on it, it never would have gotten hit..
They would have moved on to an easier target..

You don't want to come out to your truck and hear this...

https://youtu.be/qXwLc4w6Aic

Or see this..





You can avoid that with this..

Without


With

 

Again - a lot of variables here.

Me personally - my truck is parked at home 99% of the time - when it’s not - it’s just errand hopping at stores or back to the farm. I feel fairly safe and my home and 100% safe at the farm from cat thieves.

You don’t need to live in a bad area to be a target for these bastards - just easily accessible, parked overnight or a period of more than a few hours with no regular traffic and ideally in a situation where they can hit more than a few cars at once. I lost count of how many commercial accounts I had getting hit by these idiots - none of which I’d say were in bad areas - just commercial settings with overall good surveillance and guards - didn’t matter to a crackhead with a sawz-all though.

$600 is basically a comprehensive deductible. Better safe than sorry.

 

My co-worker got aftermarkets when his got stolen cause Toyota said it would be 4-5month wait.

And the next day they got stolen again while grocery shopping.

 

I work from home so my truck is parked in the garage most of the time. I got the plates because when I do have to travel for work my truck is siting in airport parking.

After install I came out of Walmart two different times to see a pickup parked next to me and when I hit the remote start they took off. I park away from everyone so it may have been nothing may have been my cat plates saved me a hassle.

 

That sucks.
Sounds like he needs to wrap the next set in razor wire then put on the plates. Just as middle finger to the next one that tries it.

 

Cat thieves hit the company lot one night where I worked in Fort Worth and stole the cats off 12 new chevy vans all illuminated and security patrolled parking lot.
Countless tales of peoples trucks being hit in broad daylight at a store or place of business. Even in the driveway at home.
Cat protection is money well spent in my opinion for what its worth.

 

Another note;
My dealership has had Tundra cats stolen off new trucks on their lot..

 

I work on the east side of houston

so

I got valhalla shields

 

In VA, as I mentioned, thefts are ramping up enough that regional police have started programs to paint, etch, etc CATs to try and reduce theft. Va metal dealers have been told not to accept painted or marked cats for sale. Info here https://henrico.us/police/crime-prevention/operation-catalytic-converter-crackdown/

And so I just now bit the bullet and ordered MillerCat shield and the optional rear section for the back cats. Hate to spend on that but if they got stolen, I have a $500 deductible, so spending an extra $150 now seems to make sense for the deterrent/protection vs $500 deductible if they are stolen (and then the headache and wait of replacement)

Spending money is supposed to be fun but Im sure once they get here and are installed I will feel better about the coin.

 

This cat theft stuff has me paranoid. Ill wake up in middle of night. Hear something outside like a twig snap or whatever then burst out of bed in my underwear with pistol in hand peeping outside to be sure no one is under my truck. Ill be order cat shields this week when i figure out which brand to go with.

 

Get ‘em. Better to be safe than sorry.

 

I have a dashcam with secondary rear cam with parking lot monitoring, unless they stroll in front of the cameras (and they trigger properly) it wont do squat. I got it for peace of mind while driving because people are generally dishonest twats.
Coupled with the camera, I also have a front, mid, and rear plates covering everything under my truck. I live in the boonies in the lowest crime state in the US but it just takes one desperate tweaker while youre grabbing groceries and youre out a truck for months waiting on new parts. The way I look at it: you either pay now or pay later.

 

Good luck getting cat plates in less than 6 months unless they are sub-par.

 

I got Cat plates on my Gen1 after being hit the one time I went to visit someone. Middle of the day and busy parking lot in the suburbs. I will have Talon’s cat plates for the Gen 3 before it leaves my garage.

 

How balsy do you have to be?
And people are saying it takes less than 3 minutes to get... can vehicle companies start protecting the cats, simply by redesign? Or do they make too much off them being stolen?

 

Bought two of these, one for the Tundra and another for my wife’s Sequoia. Arrived in a week and a half.

TPFI Catalytic Converter Shield Guard FULL_SIZE, Fits Toyota Tundra Catalytic Converter Shield 2007-2021

TPFI Catalytic Converter Shield Guard FULL_SIZE, Fits Toyota Tundra Catalytic Converter Shield 2007-2021, Covers all four cats

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WC7Z4H2

Here’s a full write-up I did:

https://www.tundras.com/threads/tor...talytic-converter-shield.112254/#post-2895913

And I added another piece of security:

 

Stickers advertising you have guns are probably just going to increase the odds someone breaks into your truck. jMO.

 

I have a brand new set of Valhalla plates in steel that I’m selling if anyone is interested. I ended up going aluminum.

 

To be clear, the sticker is on the bottom of the truck on the cat shield. So, if they abandon the cat thievery because of the shield, and decide I might be someone who would keep a firearm in my unattended truck and try to break in, my bedroom is right next to my driveway and I'll likely hear them, so I like those odds.

 

Or you can get a center console safe

 

This is one of those “Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it” scenarios.

I have one on my truck. I rarely take it anywhere where it won’t be safe. It’s either gated in at work or in front of my house on a dead end street where thrives couldn’t make a quick getaway. Having it on there gives me peace of mind.

 

Personal preference I guess...I choose not to have a firearm in my unattended vehicle, center console safe or not.