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Thread: Preventing Car Theft

  1. #1
    Deadeye Dick Clusterfrack's Avatar
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    Wokelandia

    Preventing Car Theft

    Replacement of a stolen car can be a major expense, especially in today’s market.

    Let’s put our collective knowledge together and generate some best practices for preventing car theft.

    How do car thieves operate?

    What devices make it more difficult for thieves?

    What makes and models are most/least vulnerable?

    Info from our LE members would be really helpful.
    "You can never have too many knives." --Joe Ambercrombie
    Shabbat shalom, motherf***ers! --Mordechai Jefferson Carver

  2. #2
    The R in F.A.R.T RevolverRob's Avatar
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    Step One: Manual Transmission

    Step Two: Nothing else needed

    --

    For real, one big thing is skimming codes for push button starts. Do not leave your car keys near the front door. Car theft rings have equipment to skim.

    Glass etched with the VIN, photographs/receipts for any modifications to vehicles, lock, take, hide still rules. GPS trackers, monitored cameras. It's still pretty much a layer game.

    Every step you take lessens chance of theft.

    But still...three pedals pretty much does it...

    Edit: NCIB compiles states and reports for auto theft: https://www.nicb.org/news/reports-statistics
    Last edited by RevolverRob; 01-16-2022 at 11:19 PM.

  3. #3
    Four String Fumbler Joe in PNG's Avatar
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    I will say that Step #1 is Avoiding Obviously Stupid Behaviors like: leaving the keys in the car; leaving the keyless fob in the car; leaving your car running as you run in for something
    "You win 100% of the fights you avoid. If you're not there when it happens, you don't lose." - William Aprill
    "I've owned a guitar for 31 years and that sure hasn't made me a musician, let alone an expert. It's made me a guy who owns a guitar."- BBI

  4. #4
    Site Supporter Coyotesfan97's Avatar
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    I always tell people a manual transmission is the number one anti theft device available. LoJack and Onstar can definitely help get your car back once it’s stolen.

    I bought stolen cars from a guy for an operation after I was introduced by another narc who wanted to be cut out. The guy was pretty open about how he got cars. He’d cruise around a neighborhood looking for open garage doors. When he found an open door he’d check the cars in the garage. He said a lot of people leave their cars unlocked with the keys in the ignition. If they weren’t in the ignition he’d look for a keyboard by the inner door. He’d open the inner door and check just inside looking for keys. Once he had the keys he’d drive off.
    Just a dog chauffeur that used to hold the dumb end of the leash.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Coyotesfan97 View Post
    I always tell people a manual transmission is the number one anti theft device available. LoJack and Onstar can definitely help get your car back once it’s stolen.

    I bought stolen cars from a guy for an operation after I was introduced by another narc who wanted to be cut out. The guy was pretty open about how he got cars. He’d cruise around a neighborhood looking for open garage doors. When he found an open door he’d check the cars in the garage. He said a lot of people leave their cars unlocked with the keys in the ignition. If they weren’t in the ignition he’d look for a keyboard by the inner door. He’d open the inner door and check just inside looking for keys. Once he had the keys he’d drive off.
    This ^^^ with one exception. My local auto theft task force guys recommend LoJack over OnStar. They tell me many pro’s know how to disable OnStar.

    Unlocked cars, keys/fobs in the car etc is still the biggest issue.

  6. #6
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    In the PHL burbs, the best prevention is take your keys and lock the damn car!!! Second is never to leave your running vehicle unattended! This alone would eliminate 95% of our vehicle thefts and virtually ALL of our thefts from vehicles. As with many things, simple is better.
    "Knowledge is good." Emil Faber, date unknown.

  7. #7
    Modding this sack of shit BehindBlueI's's Avatar
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    Don't lend it to your drug dealer in lieu of cash for your latest hit. A not insignificant number of 'thefts' are actually rock rentals that haven't been returned on time.

    For actual thefts:

    1) Don't leave your car unattended to warm up while running.
    2) Don't leave your car unlocked with the keys/fob in it.
    3) Take your keys and *lock the car* when you are getting gas.

    This will prevent the majority of amateur thefts who are opportunity seekers. Professional thieves tow fairly often. Sometimes with a real tow truck, sometimes with a 'stinger' mounted under an F-250 or similar heavy duty truck. Either way they do a quick hook and go, drag the car out of the immediate area, and then properly secure it or pass it off to a flat bed. Where you live and where you have to park is a big factor here. Apartment dwellers and street parkers are more at risk for the obvious reasons. If you have a vehicle likely to be targeted, park nose in and crank the wheels all the way to one direction or the other before you shut it off. That makes it difficult to drag out of a parking space and pull unsecured since it will want to turn in a circle instead of tracking straight for them. If they have quick lift dollies, it won't matter, but that's more time they spend.

    What's a popular target in your area may vary, but Dodge muscle cars seem to be hot around here.

    GPS tracking can help the vehicle be recovered, and more likely to get it recovered parked (as in not crashed when they flee a stop). Certain subscription services, such as OnStar, can remotely disable the car. It won't shut it off, it will just keep it from starting again once they shut it off. If it's being used for a joy ride, that'll help. If it's being made in to parts, it probably won't.

    Relay theft is a thing, but it's localized and more zebra than horse at this point.

    @RevolverRob Thieves do not give a shit about VIN etching. That's something your dealer made up to charge you more for.
    Sorta around sometimes for some of your shitty mod needs.

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by RevolverRob View Post
    Step One: Manual Transmission
    My daily is a manual, but they are certainly getting harder to come by.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by BehindBlueI's View Post
    Don't lend it to your drug dealer in lieu of cash for your latest hit. A not insignificant number of 'thefts' are actually rock rentals that haven't been returned on time.

    For actual thefts:

    1) Don't leave your car unattended to warm up while running.
    2) Don't leave your car unlocked with the keys/fob in it.
    3) Take your keys and *lock the car* when you are getting gas.

    This will prevent the majority of amateur thefts who are opportunity seekers. Professional thieves tow fairly often. Sometimes with a real tow truck, sometimes with a 'stinger' mounted under an F-250 or similar heavy duty truck. Either way they do a quick hook and go, drag the car out of the immediate area, and then properly secure it or pass it off to a flat bed. Where you live and where you have to park is a big factor here. Apartment dwellers and street parkers are more at risk for the obvious reasons. If you have a vehicle likely to be targeted, park nose in and crank the wheels all the way to one direction or the other before you shut it off. That makes it difficult to drag out of a parking space and pull unsecured since it will want to turn in a circle instead of tracking straight for them. If they have quick lift dollies, it won't matter, but that's more time they spend.

    What's a popular target in your area may vary, but Dodge muscle cars seem to be hot around here.

    GPS tracking can help the vehicle be recovered, and more likely to get it recovered parked (as in not crashed when they flee a stop). Certain subscription services, such as OnStar, can remotely disable the car. It won't shut it off, it will just keep it from starting again once they shut it off. If it's being used for a joy ride, that'll help. If it's being made in to parts, it probably won't.

    Relay theft is a thing, but it's localized and more zebra than horse at this point.

    @RevolverRob Thieves do not give a shit about VIN etching. That's something your dealer made up to charge you more for.
    Do you see people carving through cat converter shields or are they reasonably effective?

  10. #10
    Site Supporter Hambo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BehindBlueI's View Post
    Don't lend it to your drug dealer in lieu of cash for your latest hit.
    You know how to take all the fun out of life.
    "Gunfighting is a thinking man's game. So we might want to bring thinking back into it."-MDFA

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