Preventing Car Theft

[mmc45414]

When I first started in the late 80s the most stolen cars around were Monte Carlos, Regals, and Cutlasses be cause all you needed was a flat head screwdriver to break the plastic column, remove a gear, and start with the screwdriver. These were mostly stolen to drive around.

There were nights we’d have multiple GM pickups and SUVs stolen in one night.

We had an Astro van about that time that was almost stolen in this manner. When I spoke to the detective he told me this was very common, and the only thing he couldn't figure out about this instance was why my van was still there (He said probably because the blinker stalk was broken, many got nabbed driving around with the blinker on, because that was probable cause).



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[Coyotesfan97]

We had an Astro van about that time that was almost stolen in this manner. When I spoke to the detective he told me this was very common, and the only thing he couldn't figure out about this instance was why my van was still there (He said probably because the blinker stalk was broken, many got nabbed drivibg around with the blinker on, because that was probable cause).



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Ha I’d forgotten about the blinker. Sometimes the high beams would get activated.

[EMC]

Be a harder target than your neighbors, which in my area means putting the cars in the garage at night rather than using the garage for storage of crap.

Part 2 is the necessary security check of closed garage doors. (I have phone alerts for a door left open).

This has saved us multiple times from car break-ins. Thieves just go to the easier targets along the street.

[Stephanie B]

Somebody tried to steal my brother's truck from the parking lot at work (Orange Cty., CA). It's a Chevy 1500WT 4WD. The thief broke open the steering column before apparently noticing that it has a manual transmission. He's going to glue the pieces back together and wrap it in duct-tape.

[mmc45414]

He's going to glue the pieces back together and wrap it in duct-tape.

I installed a steel wrap after nine was repaired, might be able to get that and not bother putting Humpty Dumpty back together.



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[rotorhead1026]

I believe there are automated systems too, not sure this would fly in the US though

Hah! Who cares?

It needs a remote actuation system, to deter metermaids.

[Wes Peart]

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.

LEO here with a city of ~300,000 with a massive auto theft problem in my AO.

Barring a few outliers of old vehicles (90's or earlier, usually where the steering column gets ripped apart) all stolen full size vehicles are stolen with the keys. The whole Gone in 60 Seconds style of stealing a car by slim jimming it and hot wiring/whatever is non existent, at least regionally. Number one most common way? Dumb asses leave their cars unlocked with a spare key inside. Auto burglars creep through a neighborhood at night burglarizing dozens of unlocked cars until they hit the jackpot finding a spare key in the center console. They then hop in and drive off. Your other flavors are all variations on stealing with the key. Rentals not returned. Carjackings. "Loaned" to a "friend" who never brings it back (usually a crack rental, IE owner trades use of their vehicle for drugs and they never get it back).

I'm not going to say organized theft rings with the ability to clone transponders/keys etc don't exist but they are few and far in between. I've seen VIN swapped exotics and for those I believe most were stolen rentals that were swapped to the VIN of wrecked cars of the same make and model.

Most stolen vehicles? Whatever they can get their hands on but the most common I see are Chargers/Challengers, Altimas, Hyundai Sante Fe's, Kia Souls, Ford Fusions.

Don't want someone to steal your car? Don't leave it unlocked with the keys inside. Don't loan it to turd relatives/friends. If you avoid those two things the chance of your ride getting stolen is statistically insignificant.

Scooters, motorcycles, ATV's and SxS's are a whole different story. They all have one thing in common which is being easy to steal.

[WobblyPossum]

My brother had two motorcycles stolen. They were street parked outside of his building as the building doesn’t have a garage. The first theft was caught on video from a security camera on the building next door. The guys just picked up his bike and put it in the back of a van before driving off. He chained the replacement bike to a concrete bench. He came outside once and found the chain on the ground and the bike gone.