They are no longer are the purview of unarmed meth heads looking for a few coins and trinkets.
RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Murfreesboro resident exchanged gunfire with two people attempting to break into a neighbor’s vehicle on Sunday.
The shooting happened around 4 a.m. at a home in the 4900 block of Neyland Way.
Murfreesboro police reported a homeowner received an activation on his security camera showing two men attempting to break into his cars. Investigators said the homeowner went to the front door and saw the men attempting to burglarize a neighbor’s vehicle.
After yelling at the men, the suspected burglars fired multiple gun shots at the homeowner, who then fired back at them, according to Murfreesboro police. No one was injured.
The man’s home was struck by bullets. The getaway vehicle is believed to be a small compact SUV, possibly a Ford Edge, which may have been struck by bullets on the passenger side.
Murfreesboro homeowner exchanges gunfire with burglary suspects (wkrn.com)
Bad guys know that there are 2 high value items in vehicles that can be stolen with a little bit of preparation and teamwork: Catalytic converters and firearms. We are no longer facing the lone weak-ass junkie, but probably organized gangs or crews who are officially packing and have no problem initiating violence.
Take your guns inside your home; it is cheaper than losing it out of laziness. I cannot offer you any advice on how to keep your converter safe on the cheap.
And do not become a silhouetted target in front of your door: Don’t come outside at all. And if the bad guys still decide to shoot your way, return fire from cover, not concealment.
COVER: Any barrier which you can hide behind and is able to withstand incoming fire. Cover value is caliber dependent.
CONCEALMENT: Any barrier which only block visual acquisition, not bullets.
Keeping your converters safe at home? After many years of research and experience, stop storing less than $500 bucks worth of junk in your garage and parking your many thousands of dollars worth of vehicle in the driveway/street. Local junk metal collectors have had a field day around here and I haven’t missed any of the crap I’ve had in the garage for years. As a side note, in the 70s-80s, I learned that a locking gas cap is worth the $25 they cost. $10 bucks back then, government inflation, you know.
Locking caps aren’t useful.
You really don’t know how to siphon? What’s the younger generation coming too? ;-))
Can’t siphon many cars.
Nor do thieves need to. They just stab the tank with a screwdriver.
“And do not become a silhouetted target…”.
Indeed. Decades ago, we thought we heard an odd noise in front our house that bore investigating. I slipped quietly out the side door and side yard gate using the dark and shadows for concealment. As I got to the front of our house, my loving wife flipped on all the outside lights, lighting me up center stage and blowing my night vision, “So you could see better”. I did manage to get my heart started again. We had a frank discussion about that. Noise turned out to be a false alarm.
It should be noted as well that despite what you see in the movies, a vehicle is generally concealment, not cover, aside from the engine block. Most bullets, certainly 9mm and up, will generally go right through the door on both sides.
My car is empty. If I do need to leave a gun in the car because I am getting out to enter a GFZ, I have a Gun Vault that is bolted to the car. That won’t stop a burglar with the tools to steal car parts.
I was going to post more, but it was soon long enough for a post.
https://areaocho.com/car-burglaries/
Some of the most common CAT theft targets are pickups, because the CATs are easier to get too. # 3 is the F-150, 1 and 2 are Prius and Edge, go figure. There are skid plates for trucks available that will discourage the thief because it increases the time it takes to get to the CATs. There are other options to protect them but most make maintenance a hassle.
My guns get lonely, so I never leave them alone unless they are in the cafe with all their friends.
Already have had gun fire exchanged in two cat/car burglaries in my previously very nice, low violent crime town.
Some police forces and garages are offering services where they will engrave a name or number on a catalytic converter.
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https://mynorthwest.com/3332338/catalytic-converter-engraving-washington/
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I don’t know if it will work?
There is a garage in Vegas who has come up with the concept of a plate over the converter. https://www.fox5vegas.com/2022/04/23/las-vegas-company-fighting-catalytic-converter-thieves-with-manufactured-covers/