The Oscar Meyer Wienermobile is one of a handful of famous mascot vehicles roaming the highways, along with the Planters Nutmobile and the L.L. Bean Bootmobile. Though it looks outlandish, the Wienermobile is built using normal automotive parts underneath, which is how enterprising thieves in Las Vegas made off with the catalytic converter from one in a hotel parking lot.
The Wienermobile was in town for Super Bowl-related events when thieves hit the vehicle at a local hotel on Thursday night. Corn Dog Clara and “Chad”dar Cheese, the Wienermobile’s faithful crew, discovered the theft Friday morning. They had the vehicle towed to Penske, which services Wienermobiles across the country, where it had a temporary catalytic converter installed.
Wiener jokes aside, catalytic converter thefts are a significant and growing problem across the country. Las Vegas reported 2,600 thefts last year, a 72 percent jump over 2021. Thieves grab the automotive components for the valuable materials inside, which include palladium and platinum. If you’re worried about thefts, police recommend parking in a well-lit area to prevent making your vehicle an easy target. You can also buy an anti-theft device or get a car alarm. Many experts recommend etching your vehicle identification number (VIN) into the catalytic converter so it can be traced if stolen and sold.
[Image: John_P_Anderson via Shutterstock]
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via Autobuzz Today
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