Expensive theft...Thieves remove exhaust systems from 13 Gerry Wood pickups

[CUMMINZ]

SALISBURY — Authorities are asking anyone with information into the elaborate theft of exhaust systems from pickups at Gerry Wood Auto Group to contact them.



Thieves cut a fence in a rear parking lot at the Salisbury dealership, located at 529 S. Jake Alexander Blvd. Someone took their time to unscrew the entire exhaust system from 13 Dodge Ram pickups.











The cost of such a theft is more than $66,000, said Salisbury Police Capt. Shelia Lingle.



The theft was discovered Monday morning. Lingle said thieves took every screw and bolt, the muffler and catalytic converter and even unplugged the wiring.



It was hard to detect the cuts to the chain-link fence, which was placed back on the post.



Anyone with information is asked to contact the Salisbury Police Department at 704-638-5333 or Crime Stoppers at 1-866-639-5245.

 

[BigPapa]

Somebody stole the cats off both our church vans and cut the resonator off the bus. I guess they thought it was a cat, too. I hope they were disappointed.

 

[Flying_gage]

That is crazy! That works out roughly to $5077 per truck...

 

[Moe]

We had that happen here too, only they were using a battery powered sawsall and cutting just the converters off. Cops caught them when they came back for seconds. Theft of complete exhaust systems tells me that theres a lot of trucks with stacks that are going to need complete systems when the smog police comes a knocking!!!

 

[jgillott]

It's too bad that people like these couldn't apply all that effort to something like a job.

 

[MChrist]

Same thing happened here. I think it was about 22 brand new Ford diesel trucks all in one night. Newspaper said it was $100,000 worth of parts!! This particular dealer is slimy from bottom to top, so I call it Karma...

 

[JJPage]

It's too bad that people like these couldn't apply all that effort to something like a job.

Absolutely agree with this statement. Sad that (some in) society has more skill at theft than anything else.

 

[Jim W]

This is just like people going into foreclosed homes and steeling the electrical wiring, plumbing and cabinets out of them.

Scrapers are paying big bucks for these items compared to a few years ago. The State of IL now requires all scrap dealers to record your driver license number and photo ID when selling scrap to the scrap yards. I have read were some individuals are paying up to $600 for the DPF's and the NOX converters off of deleted truck.

Have you checked out what a new DPF and NOx filter cost from a dealer?

Jim W

 

[CUMMINZ]

Gerry Wood Auto Group is offering a reward following the theft of more than dozen exhaust systems from the Salisbury dealership.



Thieves took exhaust systems from 13 Dodge Rams parked at the lot. General Manager Brad Wood has said he will offer a $10,000 reward leading to a conviction.











Anyone with information is asked to contact the Salisbury Police at 704-638-5333 or Crime Stoppers at 866-639-5245.

 

[GCP]

Frankly, I've got a dealership in my area that I wouldn't feel sorry for if this happened to them. What's that thing called? Oh yeah, Karma.

GCP

 

[Bill Stockard]

After reading previous reports of converters being stolen from new Ram diesel trucks on dealer's lots in the DFW area, this article appeared in the March 12, 2013 edition of the Denton (TX) Record-Chronicle:



The Colony police are warning Dodge truck owners to be on alert. In the past five weeks, six catalytic converters from Dodge brand diesel pick-up trucks have been taken while the trucks were left parked and un-occupied, police say.



According to police, the suspects have used saws and dismantled the entire converter systems in 2008 and newer models.



A news release from the department states the catalytic convertors on these types of vehicles are very expensive to replace.



Most of the thefts have occurred during the late-night hours parked on the street or on the driveway, police say.



Residents who own these model trucks are cautioned to take all preventative measures possible to prevent theft. Parking vehicles in a secured garage is the best way to prevent theft, said the release.



There must be a ready "black market" for replacement emmission equipment for Ram/Cummins trucks which provides a source for drug money for the theives. Using a battery powered sawsall in front of someone's home or in their driveway is pretty brazen. I think cutting off the parts would make some noise.



The Colony is a suburb city north of Dallas, TX in southern Denton County.



Bill

 

[HBarlow]

I wonder if the demand is being driven by folks who ditched their emissions equipment in previous years and are now wanting to reinstall the cat converters and DPFs in front of anticipated EPA attacks

 

[fox]

It's too bad that people like these couldn't apply all that effort to something like a job.

How could you be so insensative???

That is THIER JOB!!!
They think there is nothing wrong with it because that is why we buy insurance.
( I think they should buy bone insurance if caught steeling from me)

 

[rscurtis]

There was a recent rash of this from a dealer in central PA, but the perpetrators were caught, presumably when they tried to scrap them. I would also concur with Bill Stockard about there being a black market. The local stations covered this, but I don't think they realized the cost involved in the ultimate repair- they showed an old cat from a gas engine as an example of what was stolen.

 

[Wertles]

I scrapped 2 small cats off of my 13 year old BMW. The company paid for the shipping, then put $100 in my Paypal account. Large diesel cats were getting $300 or so each. I can only imagine that new stuff would go for a bundle.