Okanagan resident creates device to prevent catalytic converter thefts | 24CA News
After seeing how many individuals have been affected by catalytic converter thefts, and simply how unhealthy the issue has grow to be, an Okanagan man set to work, creating a tool that ought to forestall that very crime.
He’s referred to as it the Converter Defender.
Lake Country resident Rod Newlove is hoping that his new machine will assist decrease the variety of catalytic converter thefts. The thought is to arm the automobile with one other alarm that detects any contact or vibration when the ignition is turned off.
“The device is in test mode for the first three minutes after the ignition has been turned off. The one chirp indicates the alarm is active and after three minutes it will be fully active,” stated Newlove.
“Any movement at all on the exhaust system, the alarm will sound for two minutes.”
If you’re attempting to steal a catalytic converter armed with considered one of these gadgets, you’ll be met with a loud noise instantly. After the alarm ends, it is not going to sound until it detects movement once more.
According to Kelowna RCMP, catalytic converters are presently a scorching commodity amongst thieves and are laborious to trace as soon as stolen.
“It’s increasing all across B.C. and Canada. There’s a metal in the catalytic converter that apparently is very valuable and they’re stealing it because it’s an easy thing to steal. Once they steal it, we don’t know where it’s going,” stated Const. Mike Della-Paolera with the Kelowna RCMP.
The aim of the product is to attract consideration to the automobile and what the thieves are doing, making them much less prone to goal your automobile and spook the suspect.
“They’re going to split, I don’t think anyone is going to stick around when the alarm is blaring,” Newlove stated.
The Converter Defender is being manufactured in Lake Country, retails for $249.95 and is already being bought in Alberta. Although no retailer in Kelowna has picked it up but, Newlove is hoping to see it on cabinets within the Okanagan quickly.
According to its inventor, putting in the machine is straightforward.
“It’s a do-it-yourself — you can do it in the driveway, probably half an hour depending on your skill level or you can take it to the shop if you’re more comfortable doing it that way,” stated Newlove.
Newlove spent the final two years perfecting the product and acquired the concept for it after seeing the issue enhance throughout town.
“We started looking at different options to try to fix this and we went through probably four different prototypes before we came up with the final version,” he stated.
The machine is presently on the market on the Converter Defender’s web site.
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