Your car keys and security

lightening

So people, it seems its getting harder and harder to rob a car without stealing the keys.

I have heard different people's views on this.

Some people tend to leave the keys downstairs in an obvious place. The reasoning behind this is that they would rather the thieves just came in, took the keys and f*cked off. Family not touched, nobody hurt. The insurance will look after it.

I tend to take the keys and put them in a place a thief couldn't find them. I don't have kids, I have big dogs who would react violently to a stranger in the house.

So, where do you keep your keys, what extra precautions do you take to make sure the scum don't get their dirty paws on your steering wheel?

luckat

Always in the same place, in a copper bowl on the shoe cupboard in the hall.

If the 'scum' want my scratched-up 1996 Ford, they'll take it. But I might warn them that it was a gift to me from a friend who'd failed to sell it at any price.

Nuttzz

I have been broken into twice to get the my car keys, i always bring the keys into the bedroom with me, the coppers who came said that these guys just want the keys they arent looking for confrontation, so once they cant find them down stairs they just pi$$ off.

I'd never leave them downstairs for someone to find just for the sake of a easy life/let insurance look it etc, I've worked damn hard for my possessions I'm not going to let some scum bag just waltz into my house and let him take what he wants.

Stevie Dakota

luckat wrote: »

If the 'scum' want my scratched-up 1996 Ford, they'll take it. But I might warn them that it was a gift to me from a friend who'd failed to sell it at any price.

Brilliant!

whippet

mine are on my bedside locker .. about 10 feet away from my gun safe for the shotgun.

If they were brave enough to take the keys from beside my head, they would first have to contest with the dog in the kitchen who would make short work out of a junkie, by that stage i would be wide awake and the gun would be waiting at the bed room door for them.

A neighbour of mine who is a guard said up stairs is the best bet as they would be then crossing the line of aggravated burglary and don't want confrontation.

Also I park the wifes car behind the GTi so they would have to locate two sets of keys to get the car worth stealing, she never has petrol in the car anyway .. so if they did take it they would be thumbing a lift home.

Marcus.Aurelius

I keep them in the kitchen where the two staffordshire bull terriers sleep. They're babies, wouldn't hurt a fly, but they look mean and people don't risk it.

SV

I sleep with my keys beside me.

Also the kind of estate where you don't break into anyones house for fear of being caught and kicked the sh*t out of

BnA

Where's the "in the Ignition" option ?

No rootin' for the keys for me in the morning. Always in the same place.

Del2005

I keep them in my bedroom, but I live in an apartment with the entrance on the floor below so they are into aggravated burglary once they break in:D:D

mike65

BnA wrote: »

Where's the "in the Ignition" option ?

No rootin' for the keys for me in the morning. Always in the same place.

We used to do this at home when we lived out in the sticks, nothing was locked - car, house. A bit mad in retrospect. And yes the car did get nicked one night it tuned up unmolested the next day. Started locking it after that

My keys are on a bookcase in my bedroom, but no-one is gonna nick a 12 year old car.

Mike.

the drifter

Beside locker next to the basball bat...and the cars locked in the garage and the gates are chained and padlocked... if the want to go that far for an 18 year old bmw....

Hotwheels

Always keep me keys with me, failing that I've a couple of No 6's that should discourage anyone

BnA

mike65 wrote: »

We used to do this at home when we lived out in the sticks, nothing was locked - car, house. A bit mad in retrospect. And yes the car did get nicked one night it tuned up unmolested the next day. Started locking it after that

My keys are on a bookcase in my bedroom, but no-one is gonna nick a 12 year old car.

Mike.

I used to do it in Dooradoyle in Limerick. Still do it now I'm back home. (although my neighbours van was stolen last week)

I would obviously be more careful if I had a car that I felt any way emotionally attached to. But, unfortunately I don't.

Even if I had a nice car that I cared about, I wouldn't do doing any of the macho rubbish that people are talking about here. I would lock it and leave the keys somewhere near the door. My family is more important than any car.

Victor_M

I keep mine up stairs in my jeans in the wardrobe, I wouldn't put up a fight if a scobie asked for them but I'm also not going to leave them I plain view but the hall door.

2 Cars were stolen last week from my estate, keys on the coffee table, reached in with a hanger, now that just a stoopid way to lose a car.

Interestingly though, a load of the neighbours have said that the bristle part of the letter boxes (the bit to keep the wind out) have started to go missing, sounds like the scum have gone around one night pulling them off knowing no one will replace them, then they must periodically look in the letter boxes hoping someone has left their keys by the door, as it's must easier/quicker to feed the hanger in and grab the keys with the bristles missing.

So, just an FYI if that part of your letter box happens to mysteriously disappear, be aware that there may be some scumbags scoping out your neighbourhood looking for easy pickings.

JimmyCrackCorn!

I had a pager alarm with 2 battery backed up sirens in the bodywork. Kill switch under the cushon in the back seat. It was a collapsing circut so my turbo timer worked and output to horn when engine was killed.

Car was never stolen but i did make the mistake of letting someone borrow it who killed it.

Its a catch 22 situation if thay cant steal the car they may burn it out. If they steal the car it may be recovered or it may be burned out. If you have a pager alarm what are you actually going to do if your outnumbered.

If they break into your house to get your keys im sure they wont mind hangaing around to put the kettle on to get you to turn off the Immobiliser.


So in reality you cant win.

legalbird12

No car is worth been woken up in the middle of the night by a scumbag wearing a face mask. You would never sleep soundly again!! Leave them downstairs, if they want it they'll it. Thats what insurance is for.

No prizes for being a hero

R.O.R

In a basket on the hall table, behind the lamp so it would be impossible to hook them through the letterbox, but if they really want a tired looking Skoda or a Volvo Estate, and don't mind dealing with a terrier, they don't have to bother me for them.

L1011

Usually stay on me all day and get fecked on to a high shelf on the bookcase near my bed when I'm going to bed along with mobile/wallet. Car is parked down the road out of my sight due to 1980s builders being insane as goes limited parking, but nobody is going to be stealing a Fiat Panda to order when theres a recent 5-series next door!

L1011

legalbird12 wrote: »

No car is worth been woken up in the middle of the night by a scumbag wearing a face mask. You would never sleep soundly again!! Leave them downstairs, if they want it they'll it. Thats what insurance is for.

No prizes for being a hero

I'm 6'5" and 17 stone - not 17 stone of fat at that. Not many scumbags would wake me up...

legalbird12

Buy a house next door to someone with an attractive car!!

lightening

BnA wrote: »

I wouldn't do doing any of the macho rubbish that people are talking about here.

legalbird12 wrote: »

No car is worth been woken up in the middle of the night by a scumbag wearing a face mask.

Not macho rubbish to some people BnA. Leaving your keys with dogs is a good idea. Legalbird, some people (not me) would be delighted to meet a scumbag with a face mask in the middle of the night if they are prepared for it... Some people do feel the car is worth it.

Regarding the good old "thats what insurance is for" where do we stop? Why not leave the keys in the ignition for them. Unlike BnA who has a family, I leave my keys upstairs. I want to make it as difficult as possible for them to steal it. The house is very secure and I have effective dogs. I feel its worth it.

legalbird12

MYOB wrote: »

I'm 6'5" and 17 stone - not 17 stone of fat at that. Not many scumbags would wake me up...

Scumbags dont know that they are entering the dwelling of an elephant. Bullets can easily go through muscle.

Just my personal opinion that its better to leave keys downstairs

L1011

legalbird12 wrote: »

Scumbags dont know that they are entering the dwelling of an elephant. Bullets can easily go through muscle.

Just my personal opinion that its better to leave keys downstairs

Scumbag gets to bedroom, scumbag sees someone the size of a prop forward in bed, scumbag leaves

A scumbag stealing consumer-grade cars is NOT going to have a gun. These lads work off kitchen knifes.

lightening

I'd say this fella is on the mark. No way they are going to risk waking someone and having the cops called. Anyone who isn't willing to work to earn to get what they want is usually in my experience of a cowardly nature, I reckon confrontation is the last thing they want.

Nuttzz wrote: »

the coppers who came said that these guys just want the keys they arent looking for confrontation, so once they cant find them down stairs they just pi$$ off.

I'd never leave them downstairs for someone to find just for the sake of a easy life/let insurance look it etc

Again... easy for me to say, no kids.... etc.

dodgyme

mike65 wrote: »

but no-one is gonna nick a 12 year old car.

They are you know, easy to hot wire. I had a 12 year old opel broken into recently. Bent door and attempt to hot wire until they copped the industrial chain (not a b&q jobbie) around the steering wheel.

I would never leave the keys in the hall. Always giving out to the missus on this one.

unkel

Do you want to wake up in the middle of the night seeing a scumbag holding a kettle of boiling water over your wife or kids?

I don't. Keys are right beside the front door...

daRobot

Keep my keys in the bedroom, and keep the bedroom door locked when I sleep.

lightening

unkel wrote: »

Do you want to wake up in the middle of the night seeing a scumbag holding a kettle of boiling water over your wife or kids?

I don't. Keys are right beside the front door...

No, but I don't have kids.

But this is a new one, I don't know anyone that this has happened to. How many people Do you know that this has happened to unkel? I have heard of abandoned burglaries after keys were not found downstairs.

Never never have I heard of people being woken up about car keys. This defeats the whole purpose of stealthily stealing the car in the early hours of the morning and making good distance before the missing car is noticed.

L1011

unkel wrote: »

Do you want to wake up in the middle of the night seeing a scumbag holding a kettle of boiling water over your wife or kids?

I don't. Keys are right beside the front door...

I don't have a wife (and never going to have one), I don't have kids (and unlikely to have some). I also don't think a scumbag is going to be able to break open the door in to my kitchen without waking anyone up and a kettle he brings with him won't be boiling by the time he breaks in to the house to begin with!

If your house is properly secured this isn't an issue. All the windows and external doors are five point locked, theres no sliding doors, the windows are all installed the right way around (I've seen numerous PVC installs where you can take the glass cassette out from the OUTSIDE) and all internal doors are closed at night (standard fire safety) and generally the ones downstairs are locked (they're not in any way essential for escape). Theres probably more value of consumer electronics in an average house these days when you add up the replacement value of TVs, home entertainment gear, computers, portable devices, etc, etc. If the house is secure against these being taken its secure against your fecking car keys being taken!

legalbird12

MYOB wrote: »

I don't have a wife (and never going to have one), I don't have kids (and unlikely to have some). I also don't think a scumbag is going to be able to break open the door in to my kitchen without waking anyone up and a kettle he brings with him won't be boiling by the time he breaks in to the house to begin with!

If your house is properly secured this isn't an issue. All the windows and external doors are five point locked, theres no sliding doors, the windows are all installed the right way around (I've seen numerous PVC installs where you can take the glass cassette out from the OUTSIDE) and all internal doors are closed at night (standard fire safety) and generally the ones downstairs are locked (they're not in any way essential for escape). Theres probably more value of consumer electronics in an average house these days when you add up the replacement value of TVs, home entertainment gear, computers, portable devices, etc, etc. If the house is secure against these being taken its secure against your fecking car keys being taken!

He uses your kettle after he has a cuppa!!

All fair points made by people. If the car is worth over 150 grand leave the keys downstairs, robbers for high end vehicles arrive prepared.

SV

legalbird12 wrote: »

He uses your kettle after he has a cuppa!!

All fair points made by people. If the car is worth over 150 grand leave the keys downstairs, robbers for high end vehicles arrive prepared.

I'd risk a fair bit for a car like that.

Chances are it's something rare, insurance won't cover that.

If I was driving a ferrari or some other generic thing like that then I'd gladly let them have it.

L1011

You missed the point that he's not going to be able to get to my kettle without breaking the doors down... and I'm a light sleeper, I'll be woken up by shattering wood!

Seth Brundle

I'm going to quote myself from the recent stolen M5 thread...

kbannon wrote: »

pburns wrote: »

Yeah but it is a reminder of a major reason why I'd shy away from owning a high-profile motor. The thought of someone breaking into my home when I'm asleep and maybe harming me - or more importantly loved ones - frightens the bejaysus out of me TBH. I keep car keys next to my bed - the bastards won't get away with my car without a few belts!

A relative of mine used to keep his weekend toy (an Aston!) at his ma's house in the country 'til a guard pointed out to him that a gang of skangers could well break in and scare the bejaysus out of the old dear...

Yeah, yeah. Its no feckin use if you wake up with a hammer coming towards your head!
This filthy scumbag and his filthy scumbag brother broke into several houses in Belfast near Mrs. KB's parents one night. One of the owners was asleep and is permanently brain damaged after getting belted with a hammer! Not even a car is not worth the grief!

the drifter

if my car is left outside...its generally parked outside the door of my bedroom( i have a patio door off my bedroom) under the sensor light.. anyone moves light comes on and my room is lit up like croke park under floodlights... then its down to me getting over my laziness and getting out of bed....thats a whole other problem...

L1011

kbannon - theres nothing in that article to say he broken in to several houses or that he was going to look for car keys, and the fact that he hammer attacked someone *that was asleep* suggests he wasn't. So how is it relevant here?

Seth Brundle

I know more about the case than the BBC had reported.

granturismo

lightening wrote: »

How many people Do you know that this has happened to unkel? I have heard of abandoned burglaries after keys were not found downstairs.

Never never have I heard of people being woken up about car keys. This defeats the whole purpose of stealthily stealing the car in the early hours of the morning and making good distance before the missing car is noticed.

The boiling kettle threat was 'apparently' used more than once in a village not too far from Naas, in recent months. At least according to someone who was warned by a garda they knew - so thats 3rd hand info. They supposedly demanded car keys & cash.

L1011

kbannon wrote: »

I know more about the case than the BBC had reported.

So supply it then? Are the BBC wrong in saying he was asleep? Because sleeping men can't refuse to supply car keys...

lightening

The scumbag hammered someone in bed for a car? If that's the case, fair enough kbannon. Is this happening in Ireland? Is the kettle of water just an urban myth

Holsten

Usually in my bed somewhere, beside the pillow.

Marcus.Aurelius

I said earlier that I keep the keys with me two staffordshire bull terriers. That said, if someone threatened to hurt the family, I'd get them the keys, no BS.

It ain't worth it if you've got family to consider. As a single guy during the working week (work in KE, but live in WX at weekends), I'd have a go at a scanger who broke into my place, no problem

faigs

ClioV6 wrote: »

If I was driving a ferrari or some other generic thing like that then I'd gladly let them have it.

I know of a guy who recently had his house broken into and keys for a new Bentley and Ferrari 430 taken, he confronted them outside and the scumbags didn't get the cars - one of the guys didn't know how to reverse a Ferrari

When the other guy was helping him, they reversed the Ferrari into a wall and the insurance won't cover the cost of a new bumper because the thieves broke in and got the keys. The scumbags got away on foot after a rather rough scuffle.

Volvoboy

We've 3 Cars in our family.

Seat Arosa (Come on nobodys going to be going near that) its parked 1st in the drive every nite, so it aint going anywhere.

Honda Accord parked in behind the Arosa the keys are in the upstairs at night.

Carina parked out on the street keys are on my nightstand, Hardly going to be nicked but if it does i just got an alarm fitted on her on Monday.


Even if somone does break in we've 2 dogs to wake us up before the scum do.

Par72

granturismo wrote: »

The boiling kettle threat was 'apparently' used more than once in a village not too far from Naas, in recent months. At least according to someone who was warned by a garda they knew - so thats 3rd hand info. They supposedly demanded car keys & cash.

So should we leave our wallets down in the hall with our keys too? Perhaps everything of value should be down at the door waiting for them so that they don't have to traipse round the house collecting it.

finbarrk

BnA wrote: »

Where's the "in the Ignition" option ?

No rootin' for the keys for me in the morning. Always in the same place.

Agree. I leave them in the car too.

granturismo

Par72 wrote: »

So should we leave our wallets down in the hall with our keys too? Perhaps everything of value should be down at the door waiting for them so that they don't have to traipse round the house collecting it.

That's really up to you. I was just relating what I heard in response to a query re boiling water being used as a threat to obtain car keys & cash.

ninty9er

I hit hidden away, but it's more like the key hooks just happen to be in a kitchen press

lightening

granturismo wrote: »

I was just relating what I heard in response to a query re boiling water being used as a threat to obtain car keys & cash.

We don't really know if this is happening.

miju

Nuttzz wrote: »

I have been broken into twice to get the my car keys, i always bring the keys into the bedroom with me, the coppers who came said that these guys just want the keys they arent looking for confrontation, so once they cant find them down stairs they just pi$$ off.

my uncle didn't haven't a similiar experience last year when they came into his bedroom all masked up with weapons and demanded the keys for his brand spanking new M3 BMW

biggus

Time to go back to the simple hidden kill switch, car won't start even with the keys.
But even better would be a 3 minute timer delay kill switch on the fuel pump. means they would get far enough away not to come back but close enough so you could find your car whan the pump stops.

SV

biggus wrote: »

Time to go back to the simple hidden kill switch, car won't start even with the keys.
But even better would be a 3 minute timer delay kill switch on the fuel pump. means they would get far enough away not to come back but close enough so you could find your car whan the pump stops.

How would one go about that?