Chod theft is skyrocketing

[AlabamaShrimp]

I'm far from an expert but so a have spoken to a lot of people that have had trackers on their cars, most of them have got them back so long as they reported it soon enough.

 

Most stolen cars and theft froms I've dealt with almost all seem to have been opportunist type stuff or stolen with keys. Old stuff was hardly ever taken

[barefoot]

Bay on drive, behind Porsche, Scirocco in street, blocking drive.

Only occasionally left with doors unlocked and windows down.

We am posh around here

[PiperCub]

Disclocks are pretty unbeatable and visually the deterrent is high. I have immobilisers also on my decent old stuff, plus locking wheel bolts.nuts and DNA marked parts. They are kept either garaged or car-ported and blocked in and have security lights too, fortunately car theft and crime in general is very low in my area but I still lock everything down as I don't want even my junk going AWOL.

 

Folk are often amused when you lock down old 'junk', my arguement is this: Yes, it's worth very little, yes it's not pretty but it's a reliable form of transport and if it got pinched the insurance payout would be virtually nothing and I've lost a viable car which if I've put any work into it and paid for bits means I'm the loser here.

 

Something to bear in mind too as others have pointed out, often thieves are opportunists and take the easiest path so an old car not properly secured is going to be easy meat for the scum who can't get a look in on modern kit as it's too secure unless they nick the keys.

 

Also, as told to me by a former neighbour, a traffic cop, he said alot of old stuff gets nicked by idiots who need to get home after a night out but have missed the last bus and have drunk their taxi fares so they steal an old car as they are easier to get into.

[dugong]

Get an undesirable car with no 'scene'

244 DL Volvo - povspec like mine.

Rubbish banger as although tough it has crumple zones a plenty

244s are banger weapons. Make sure it's tied down. 

[oman5]

and dead prostitute in the boot.

as a lorry driver, I could probably help you out there

[ifc63]

 

 

Folk are often amused when you lock down old 'junk'

 

Standing joke at work everytime I was seen putting the fluorescent Stoplock on the 1985 Corolla was " Do you really think someone's going to nick that? " to which I replied " Well, it is a very expensive lock so if they want it they've going to have to take the whole of the car as well to get it! "

 

Don't seem to get asked as often now and the car is still in my possession !

[AnthonyG]

Don't forget that virtually all modern stuff is stolen via burgling the owner's house for the keys - this applies to classics/chod as well, particularly if the dislok key or isolater switch etc is on the same key ring.

 

Hence hide spare keys well, and don't leave your regular keys in the hall/living room/kitchen - mine live in bedside cabinet.

[AnthonyG]

Standing joke at work everytime I was seen putting the fluorescent Stoplock on the 1985 Corolla was " Do you really think someone's going to nick that? " to which I replied " Well, it is a very expensive lock so if they want it they've going to have to take the whole of the car as well to get it! "

 

Don't seem to get asked as often now and the car is still in my possession !

Always remember an early episode of the Bill were the scene of crime bloke turns up in an old Anglia, 'Who's going to nick that? jeers a woodentop, 'Who's going to get it back for me?' he responds!!

[AlabamaShrimp]

Standing joke at work everytime I was seen putting the fluorescent Stoplock on the 1985 Corolla was " Do you really think someone's going to nick that? " to which I replied " Well, it is a very expensive lock so if they want it they've going to have to take the whole of the car as well to get it! "

 

Don't seem to get asked as often now and the car is still in my possession !

I've had this too. When you explain how easy it is to start my car without the key some of then understand, the others still have the same stupid look on their face

[Partridge]

I like that.

 

More 'out of the box' suggestions worthy of Autoshite, please.

Spray "PEDO SCUM" down the side of the doors, that would work too.

[Parky]

Wire up your alarm so it plays ice cream truck tunes if someone breaks in. The local kids will swarm around the car begging for ice cream and when the thief can't deliver a 99 the little darlings will shank him up something proper.

 

Or how about propping six inch nails under each of your tyres? Any attempt to move the car will flatten the tyres so nobody is going anywhere - portable stinger if you will.......

 

My preference would be to wire a tear gas canister under the seat so any attempt leads to some scroat getting a nice surprise. Or you could use a pipe bomb if you are emotionally unbalanced

[chaseracer]

Bay on drive, behind Porsche, Scirocco in street, blocking drive.

Only occasionally left with doors unlocked and windows down.

We am posh around here

 

Plenty to choose from there...  

[Angrydicky]

I saw a good one on Facebook a while back. Some guy with an old MK3 or MK4 Escort had removed his steering column cowling, and araldited razor blades down the edge of it on the inside before refitting. Woe betide any potential thief targeting that car!

[brickwall]

That got me thinking. What about those snap-off boss that you can get for rally cars and such? Take yer wheel into the house...

[ShiteRider]

 

My preference would be to wire a tear gas canister under the seat so any attempt leads to some scroat getting a nice surprise. Or you could use a pipe bomb if you are emotionally unbalanced

 

That could have potential. Not so much tear gas, but how about the brightly coloured smoke grenades the military use?

Have it wired up under the car, inside an arch or behind a bumper say, so when it car is stolen the cannister is triggered.

Trust me people would notice, I get enough looks of disgust from people as my cortina huffs out oily blue polar bear poison from the exhaust.

If it was on the back of a wagon leaving a 300yrd  purple cloud you can pretty much guarantee someone will ring plod, even if it's only to complain about air pollution.

[Bobthebeard]

Hmmmmm...

Bit late to this thread but interesting reading.

I suspect the perceived threat of theft is actually far worse than the reality. A bit like insurance policies. Would sir like to take out extra cover for £2.99 for legal advice? Or have you considered that for just an extra £15 you would be covered in the event of a blah blah. The cost of perceived fear.

In truth if something happened to your chod would the insurers actually pay up? If you fitted a Tracker at huge expense, then went away on holiday who would know if the chod was stolen from your drive or locked garage? Car alarms just annoy people and are ignored, Tracking devices need the owners to be aware of any theft quickly, then rely on dibble to have any suitably equipped cars in the area.... Within hours.

If some scummy thief wants your stuff they will take it, they can wreck it/set fire to it/sell it far quicker than the authorities can, or will find it.

If a car is particularly rare and valuable keep it well hidden and well locked. Just don't get too paranoid! The cost of the insurance extra cover and complicated deterrents may be more than the value of the chod.