Whether you like hot dogs or not, you probably love the most iconic vehicle that promotes them.

The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile roams the country promoting the country’s love of hot dogs, showing up at sporting events, supermarkets and a variety of other places. Driving it is an honor. I mean, it’s a 27-foot long hot dog on wheels. Everyone knows the Wienermobile.

Including catalytic converter thieves.

Yes, the world famous wiener fell victim to scoundrels looking for scrap metal last week while it was in Las Vegas for the Super Bowl.

According to a local news outlet, the Wienermobile had to be towed to a shop and have a temporary converter put in so that the “Hotdoggers” could make it to their first event of the weekend.

A mechanic at the shop said the area has a huge problem with the converters being stolen and it would take a month or two to get a permanent replacement for the giant hot dog truck.

Catalytic converter thefts have been on the rise all over the country for the last few years. The converters are made of rhodium, palladium and platinum – metals that their value has skyrocketed paying around $250 a pop.  Removing them is fast and easy and most vehcile owners have no clue until its long gone.  Even our station vehicles fell victim a couple years ago. I remember one of our four vans being fired up to go out on location and the rumble that roared thru the entire building when that engine turned over.

Protect your vehicles by parking in a garage or near cameras when you can. They also make catalytic converter anti-theft devices that can be installed and you can get your VIN etched into it as well. I can’t imagine the VIN will mean squat to a scrap dealer who’s getting a cut, but you never know.

If the Wienermobile isn’t safe, are any of us?