Suggestions To Help Prevent A Theft

[86turbonational]

Hi,


I just wanted to write something up from my own experiences to maybe in the future help other members in the fight to keep our car's. If you have something to add or any other suggestions please feel free.



As a towing & recovery owner I have seen all kinds of stolen cars in my days and even more and more often as time goes on. I couldn't stomache to know that my car has been stolen and that some dirtbag is out joy riding my baby in which i have worked so hard to keep in my posession. I have given alot of thought on how to help prevent a theft and I have lived my life by this and so far I have never had any of my rides stolen.

I want to start off by saying that I own a 2006 dodge ram 1500 4 door 4x4 with the chrome 20' rims, possibly the most popular stolen car todate. I also own a 1985 regal t-type A combination of these too vehicles makes for a thief's dream.

Within the last month I have personally recoved 7 stolen chrysler products that were stolen less than a mile from my home!! Out of those 7 only 2 still had motors in them and were salvagable. the others were stripped down to the bare bones and found in downtown detroit.

I take these steps to ensure that my truck does not get stolen and end up like one of those 7.

1) I always park it where i can see it.

2) I always lock my doors

3) I always look to park in a place with limited access ( so tow vehicles cant easily get to it)

4) If i cant see it, I have found a harness under the hood that i halfway unplug so that it appears to be plugged in still that kills the computer to the truck

5) or, I always go with my gut feelings. if i feel like I cant watch my car at this store and im in an unfarmiliar neighborhood, i will leave and go to a different store.

Also, I have not mentioned this yet but I used to work for a police department a few years ago. I have learned by training to always notice your suroundings and to pay close attention to everything! never let your guard down and be ready for anything. below are some simple steps i take to achieve this,

1) always drive with doors locked

2) Those mirrors are your life saver, use them and use them often

3) stop back from traffic at lights to give yourself enough room to escape if something should happen

4) wear your seatbelts! not only is this a law in most places, if someone tries to pull you from the car it will make it a little harder for them

5) If you have to go into a bad area, dont drive your gn or t-type! especially if your not sure where your going.


Tow truck's, you will not be able to stop a tow truck from getting your car/truck. I can personally post pictures of hooking my own car in the street with the wheels turned all the way. All you need is a wheel lift and its no problem. Also alot of newer flat beds have the rotator crane on them, this can lift your car from a parking spot and put it on the deck no matter what you do.

It all boils down to the above articles, keep an eye on your car and follow those simple steps and you will be giving yourself more of a chance to keeping your car from a thief.

I hope possibly this might help people in the future and maybe you will listen to these steps.

jamie..

 

[DOUNVME]

After about 3 months of buying my first GN, I started having nightmares that someone stole it. I didn't buy it to drive, so therefore I never drive it. I live on a major highway and at least once a month, someone would drive up and ask about "buying" my car. How they could see what it was with the cover on it, I don't know. Anyway, I give everyone the same story...It will never be for sale, it is registered, it has LoJack, and I have cameras around my place. That has worked so far, but to be sure, I started putting the car in my shop and I bought an 85 and built an exact replica, with the exception of the drivetrain. It is my daily driver, so in the event of a theft, well, they actually got the DUD!! I know this isn't practical for everyone, but since I like that bodystyle so much, building this car was also fun for me and I needed a daily driver and what a better daily driver than a Grand National!!
Works for me, and I can get a good night's sleep!!

 

[MeanBuicks]

You just can't trust anyone anymore. Witness this recent news story:

Fake Repo Men Stealing Cars

By WUSA-TV Washington D.C.

LARGO, MD -- There's a new type of crime in Maryland. Criminals are becoming more brazen. In recent months, there have been several cases of thieves stealing tow trucks in order to steal other vehicles.

Police say that may have been the case last week in Largo.

Raymond Brown, a-k-a "Scotty Beats", a music producer, was shot to death by a fake repo man. Two men in a possibly stolen tow truck took off with his car. Beats went after the men and they killed him.

On Monday, we watched as a tow truck hooked up and took away a car within seconds – not minutes.

So imagine the front a tow truck provides a car thief. A company name, a provided purpose. And far too many times, a stolen vehicle.

Police say people don't look at a tow truck operator and view them as car thieves ... and that's what these guys have working for them.

It isn’t exactly a new concept, but an old idea being carried out more and more each day. Police warn people not to risk their lives confronting what might be an armed car thief.

Police say get a tag number and stay inside. Henry’s Towing has had three trucks stolen in the last three years. As the tow truck drivers say … it takes seconds to steal a truck and even less time to steal a car when you have one.

Created: 10/16/2006 10:28:36 PM

© 2006 WUSA -TV Washington D.C.. All rights reserved.

 

[Renthorin]

What's bad for me is when I have to have someone over to the house for repairs....AT&T...furnace...roof...whatever.

The car is in the garage with a cover on but everyone sees the body style and the fact that it is covered and says "hey...what you got there?"

I don't want to be rude and piss off someone who knows where I live....so I just tell them the truth.. "that's my 84 Monte Carlo" or Cutlass depending on my mood.

"Is it fast?"

"well it was before the rod popped out the bottom of the oil pan last fall..."

"Ouch..." and then they begin working.

The one time I was going to have some people over to look at my Daytona I was selling...and I didn't know them....and they didn't work locally (i.e. semi-respectable company) I knew they would see the car and being car people might recognize it or at least ask to see it.....

The GN went over to spend the day at my parent's in their garage

I think the best thing we can do is keep our eyes on our cars at all times because you know someone else is!'

ps - get a large "Smith and Wesson" sticker and hang it near the car.

 

[nailheadpowered]

I say rig a 9mm inside the car so when they open the door pop there they are for you to see!:biggrin: As for others knowing what i have im the same way I don't let many people up to my place because of the multiple cars that i do have but if someone sees it and asks i do the same and say the motor is out, atleast they know they can't drive it home.

 

[Dreamcar86]

How about car alarms?

I have a concealed carry license in my state and if need be would use it, however you cannot shoot what you cannot see. The question is, do the remote pager car alarms work? I have seen advertisements that they are good for up to 1800 feet. Is there one better than another?
I cannot believe that I am about to say this but I am working with a friend of mine to install strobe lights that would be connected to the alarm system. My thought is if they were to drive off with the car the lights would be flashing and local law enforement will pull them over. We all know that no one pays attention to the siren so how about high intensity flashing lights?
Is this a crazy idea or does anyone think it would work?

 

[Renthorin]

I have a CPL too but I don't carry in my cars. If I am driving I will just run them over if I can

I think the strobe idea is a good one IF they are driving off in your car and the alarm is going off. If they get it without setting off the alarm (might be able to) or on a flatbed will the lights still blink?

I had thought about the pager alarms at one point. Never did it as I don't leave the car alone.

 

[Phatman]

Here you go try this......

YouTube - trunk monkey

 

[Renthorin]

I LOVE the trunk monkey!

 

[Dreamcar86]

Here you go try this......

YouTube - trunk monkey

Let me know when the trunk monkeys go on sale!

 

[GNBRETT]

A SIMPLE KILL SWITCH COULD SAVE YOU A LOT OF HEARTACHE.....

 

[86turbonational]

Perhaps.... but think of it like this, you wouldnt trust your child to just anyone would ya? The technology today is so advanced that a kill switch in most cases can be found in a matter of minutes.

The idea is to make it hard enough for a thief that possibly he will look at another car instead of yours. I see alot of post about stolen turbo regals and alot of them share the same basic stories. You wouldnt let a brief case with 1,000,000 out of your site would ya? well then why let your gn out of your site?

Me personally, I NEVER park or drive anywhere that i cant see my car! maybe this is the reason that i have never had a collector car stolen. maybe not.

It seems today that people are changing. it seems that prople are getting lazier and arn't paying too much attention anymore. Look at the average drivers today, nobody makes a plan anymore before getting in the car, we just get behind the wheel and drive. it shows with all the ignorant moves i see on the road on a daily basis.

The point being, plan where you are going, plan everything! even if you are going to eat or stop for fuel, think about where you are gonna be. Try to stick to a route that stolen cars are at a minimum.

Like i said this is what i do and it has not failed me yet...

 

[EGOKILR]

I seen that commercial in Palm Springs and Died Laughing

I really wish they had A trunk monkey to a point, the concept is funny but animal rights activist would have a fit.

 

[LawDog]

Big fan of Lo-Jack. Many police units have the system inside their vehicles so the second it gets reported as stolen they have it tracked to an exact location within minutes.

Another option and the one my wife has in her car is a Mobile Guardian Vehicle Tracking, GPS Car Tracking, Stolen Vehicle Recovery from MobileGuardian system. I think it cost around $700 and has some cool features that Lo-Jack doesn't including a page/phone message when the vehicle is started w/o authorization and it has a GPS system that can be tracked from a home computer at any time (but better if she doesn't understand this feature--it can be used against you if say you got lost and happened to stumble into a gentleman's club to ask for directions. . .especially if you were so lost that you didn't find your way home until 9 the next morning).

 

[Dreamcar86]

Big fan of Lo-Jack. Many police units have the system inside their vehicles so the second it gets reported as stolen they have it tracked to an exact location within minutes.

Another option and the one my wife has in her car is a Mobile Guardian Vehicle Tracking, GPS Car Tracking, Stolen Vehicle Recovery from MobileGuardian system. I think it cost around $700 and has some cool features that Lo-Jack doesn't including a page/phone message when the vehicle is started w/o authorization and it has a GPS system that can be tracked from a home computer at any time (but better if she doesn't understand this feature--it can be used against you if say you got lost and happened to stumble into a gentleman's club to ask for directions. . .especially if you were so lost that you didn't find your way home until 9 the next morning).

Yes, I can see where some of the features are best not explained to the Mrs's. On a serious note this looks like a very good system. Thank you for the information.