Theft deterrents

[NOFX]

Okay, besides alarms and kill switches, what else do you recommend as theft deterrents or different products related to recovering a vehicle, etc? What are your preferences on brand, etc.

- alarm
- kill switches
- locking lugs
- locking hardware for parts
- steerig column collars
- global positioning system

Any spins on anything that you might want to recommend?

 

[24-7]

Okay, besides alarms and kill switches, what else do you recommend as theft deterrents or different products related to recovering a vehicle, etc? What are your preferences on brand, etc.

- alarm
- kill switches
- locking lugs
- locking hardware for parts
- steerig column collars
- global positioning system

Any spins on anything that you might want to recommend?

I don't have any of those things. My daily driver is not somthing people want to steal. '03 s-10

 

[NOFX]

That's what I mostly thought too. My car was stolen two days ago though.

 

[05]

thats a burn, i thought the same as you two, but my car was stolen a few weeks ago and i was lucky enough to get it back essentially in one peice...

good luck i hope you get your car back

my parents said they would pay for a low jack system, i dont know how good of a job thats going to do but, its free so im not gonna complain

 

[lonewolf]

Sorry to hear about your car Amy, I know how you feel having been a victim myself. You'll pull through i'm sure. It could have been a lot worse...

As for deterants, I use a Clifford Matrix system with door, bonnet (hood) and boot (trunk) protection, impact sensors and an optional tilt and motion. I'm really pleased with the system, so far only one false alarm in two years (there was a low flying chinook hovering over it at the time tho!)

Locking nuts are a must for alloy wheels in the UK, I use McGard myself.

I also use a Stoplock Professional if I don't like the area, or i'll be away from the car for any length of time.

Apart from that, If you can break into the car and disable/bypass an alarm system, a kill switch will be no problem and a gps tracker can easily be removed.

Hope that helps, and yes I also thought that nobody would want to get in my car, but these things we learn the hard way.

Take care,

Tim

 

[Beelzebubba]

at the risk of oversimplifying:


Garage.

(lah dee dah...I call it a car hole)

I had the alarm module on my car mounted high in the dash with the connections well shielded, had a hidden kill switch, and had "The Club" (hereafter "The Turd") and my car still got stolen. The kill switch wasn't under the dash either where a thief would expect to look for it.

 

[NOFX]

There's a thread about my car called My Car Was Stolen. It's been recovered. Pics are included. I had GS-R blades for abotu two months. Not any more. I had locking lugs, but you can get them off easily enough. I've had to break two off one wheel once to help a guy change his tire when he blew it on the freeway and that was the first time either of us ever had to. It barely held us up even. I wish there were a way to keep the wheels on there.

 

[Blazed]

body kits...
neon lights...
altezza tails...
obx..tyc...all good theft deterrants...

 

[NOFX]

at the risk of oversimplifying:


Garage.

(lah dee dah...I call it a car hole)

I had the alarm module on my car mounted high in the dash with the connections well shielded, had a hidden kill switch, and had "The Club" (hereafter "The Turd") and my car still got stolen. The kill switch wasn't under the dash either where a thief would expect to look for it.

I could get a garage here that could fit one car. $75 a month though. If I get this other job I'll make sure to get at least one garage though. I'd rather both my car and Jason's be safe too. I'd feel wrong protecting mine and not his.

 

[NOFX]

body kits...
neon lights...
altezza tails...
obx..tyc...all good theft deterrants...

Yeah, apparently stock taillights now = win for theives too.... Come on, I had an Xpold CD player. Should have passed that s**t up.

Those wheels were a gift though so that REALLY pisses me off. Jason's parents gave them to me.

 

[oc_civic]

if you take the colum cover off is there a way to secure numerous ends of fish hooks under there..

OMG wait i have a GREAT idea..

im not posting it.. PM me.. = )

 

[cujo613]

Alarm with a proxy sensor and about 5 sirens. Most people ignore a single siren. When you have 3 actuall sirens a couple of piezos and the cars horn going off people will get pissed in the middle of the night and go see what all that racket is. Plus it will scare the s**t out of the the theives and most likely they will haul ass then try to diconnect the alarm. Oh dont forget the battery backup

 

[Panathrasher]

Okay here is some good information from the horse’s mouth. First I am going to drop a dime on myself and tell you guys that I am a Police Officer in Southern California. Now that you all hate me here is some good solid advice.

First: Never underestimate how low a shithead thief will go. Just last year I arrested a b***h who was driving a stolen 1987 Ford Escort. I mean come on, who the hell would want one of those? The bottom line is that if it runs they will steal it. I also took a vehicle burglary report where the only thing stolen was the AM/FM cassette deck that had to be tuned by the knobs. I still can't figure that one out.

Second: Alarms deter, they don't stop. I do personally believe in alarms, it's more convenient to break into a car that doesn't have one. I personally have the Clifford Matrix. The nice thing is that it pages you to let you know when your alarm is going off. If you get an alarm invest in a back up siren that is self powered. Shitheads will break into your car and then disconnect the battery cutting power to the alarm. The self powered siren will continue to go off for about 20 to 30 minutes and can only be turned off with a special key. This brings attention that the thief doesn't want and forces him to get out of there sooner, maybe he only gets your stereo instead of your whole car.

Kill switches are also good deterrents. Hide the switch really well or just in plain sight. I've heard some people put them inside their cigarette lighters. Not a bad idea if you don't use it. You can also disconnect your hazard light switch or an unused pop out and rig the switch behind it. Plain sight switches are some of the hardest to find.

GPS locaters are the only things that help you get your car back after it's been stolen. Lo Jack is good because it is mounted directly in police cruisers. There is no relay system required like on other systems, the signal is sent directly to the tracker in the police car. While GPS systems can be removed it typically doesn't happen unless you are an idiot. I have actually seen a moron with a big LO JACK sticker on the side of his car. I guarantee that if his car is stolen the thief now knows that it is Lo Jack equipped and will look for the GPS locater to remove it. The Lo Jack system does not emit any audible signal or flashing light when it is activated, it only sends a tracking signal to the police cars. The stupid thief doesn't know the car is equipped with the locater until the police show up to recover the car, unless of course you advertise it.

Steering column collars and "locking hardware parts" like the club or brake pedal boot are mediocre additions to an alarm and I would not rely on them alone to protect my car. Thieves either cut the security device itself or cut where it connects to the steering wheel. The locking mechanism can also be defeated with a shaved key.

Locking lugs are a small deterrent as you can see by the other postings. If your alarm is equipped with a tilt sensor this can help as well. And as far as garages go they can work both ways. If the garage is attached directly to your home that is the best help. If the garage is detached from your home, i.e. it is on the ground floor or in the alley to your apartment/condo complex; it can offer a thief just as much privacy as it does your car.

I hope all this helped and if I can be of any further assistance just let me know.

 

[Blazed]

Okay here is some good information from the horse’s mouth. First I am going to drop a dime on myself and tell you guys that I am a Police Officer in Southern California. Now that you all hate me here is some good solid advice.

First: Never underestimate how low a shithead thief will go. Just last year I arrested a b***h who was driving a stolen 1987 Ford Escort. I mean come on, who the hell would want one of those? The bottom line is that if it runs they will steal it. I also took a vehicle burglary report where the only thing stolen was the AM/FM cassette deck that had to be tuned by the knobs. I still can't figure that one out.

Second: Alarms deter, they don't stop. I do personally believe in alarms, it's more convenient to break into a car that doesn't have one. I personally have the Clifford Matrix. The nice thing is that it pages you to let you know when your alarm is going off. If you get an alarm invest in a back up siren that is self powered. Shitheads will break into your car and then disconnect the battery cutting power to the alarm. The self powered siren will continue to go off for about 20 to 30 minutes and can only be turned off with a special key. This brings attention that the thief doesn't want and forces him to get out of there sooner, maybe he only gets your stereo instead of your whole car.

Kill switches are also good deterrents. Hide the switch really well or just in plain sight. I've heard some people put them inside their cigarette lighters. Not a bad idea if you don't use it. You can also disconnect your hazard light switch or an unused pop out and rig the switch behind it. Plain sight switches are some of the hardest to find.

GPS locaters are the only things that help you get your car back after it's been stolen. Lo Jack is good because it is mounted directly in police cruisers. There is no relay system required like on other systems, the signal is sent directly to the tracker in the police car. While GPS systems can be removed it typically doesn't happen unless you are an idiot. I have actually seen a moron with a big LO JACK sticker on the side of his car. I guarantee that if his car is stolen the thief now knows that it is Lo Jack equipped and will look for the GPS locater to remove it. The Lo Jack system does not emit any audible signal or flashing light when it is activated, it only sends a tracking signal to the police cars. The stupid thief doesn't know the car is equipped with the locater until the police show up to recover the car, unless of course you advertise it.

Steering column collars and "locking hardware parts" like the club or brake pedal boot are mediocre additions to an alarm and I would not rely on them alone to protect my car. Thieves either cut the security device itself or cut where it connects to the steering wheel. The locking mechanism can also be defeated with a shaved key.

Locking lugs are a small deterrent as you can see by the other postings. If your alarm is equipped with a tilt sensor this can help as well. And as far as garages go they can work both ways. If the garage is attached directly to your home that is the best help. If the garage is detached from your home, i.e. it is on the ground floor or in the alley to your apartment/condo complex; it can offer a thief just as much privacy as it does your car.

I hope all this helped and if I can be of any further assistance just let me know.

first off..
to cc...

i have heard recently that even lojack is no good...i heard that there are a certain number of places where they usually place lojack and thieves know well nenough where to look..i wont give out any locations here on the site but i'm well aware of them..
so if i could find out so can they...

but i heard a new viper gps that came out..
which will call u if ur car moves more than 3 feet as well as call the police for u...
can u shed any light on that...

 

[Going-West]

wow panathraser, nice info. we don't hate you just cuz ur a cop mang

 

[Beelzebubba]

I met a guy who was actually bragging about stealing a car to get it's Viper alarm

 

[Panathrasher]

first off..
to cc...

i have heard recently that even lojack is no good...i heard that there are a certain number of places where they usually place lojack and thieves know well nenough where to look..i wont give out any locations here on the site but i'm well aware of them..
so if i could find out so can they...

but i heard a new viper gps that came out..
which will call u if ur car moves more than 3 feet as well as call the police for u...
can u shed any light on that...

Unfortunately thieves evolve. Lo Jack also has a new system that will alert you if your car is being driven without a sensor chip that you carry on your key chain. They can contact you several different ways i.e. cellular phone, pager, text message, e-mail and the list goes on. This helps you to report it to the police sooner and get the Lo Jack signal activated sooner. Nothing is 100%.

The down side to systems like the Viper and other after market systems is that the viper operator has to call you and determine your car was stolen. He/she then calls the local police department and tells the dispatcher. The dispatcher then relays the information to the officers over the radio; information can get fubar that way.

Also the information only gets to the agency the operator is on the phone with, other nearby agencies are left in the dark. Let’s say that your car is stolen from the mall in City A. The operator will call Department A and report that your car was stolen and where it currently is. Department A says, we'll meet the victim and take the police report but the car is now in City B, you need to call Department B and tell them where the car is. The operator has to hang up and now call Department B; meanwhile the car is still moving and could be in City G by the time the call gets through.

Once a Lo Jack signal is activated it is sent to all Lo Jack tracking units, if you're in range you are going to know where the car is. This allows multiple agencies to converge on the cars location and work together on recovering it rather than playing phone tag.

 

[NOFX]

When I said locking hardware I was referring to screws and such with less common ends than flathead and phillips. I imagine fewer people walk around with star bits than phillips tips.

 

[Panathrasher]

When I said locking hardware I was referring to screws and such with less common ends than flathead and phillips. I imagine fewer people walk around with star bits than phillips tips.

Okay, I see what you're saying. I haven't heard of this technique much but I think that it would just cause the thief to just break off whatever is fastened down by the starhead screw. But if it's cost affective give it a whirl. My brother's license plate just got stolen and I was thinking of doing something similar to attach the new one when he gets it.

 

[NOFX]

For example, I think it's Mugen has star bit screws for your license plate. PasswordJDM.com has them I think. Jason has them on his car. It could hold some things down I imagine. For example, an intake (if they hadn't taken that I'd be able to drive my car right now. but with my missing intake and taillight and the f**ked steering column I just don't feel like it.)