Car broken into - but how ???

jkb_dub

I've an Audi A5, it was broken into last night while sitting quietly in my driveway.. It's always locked, I check every night to ensure the little red light is flashing and letting me know all is well and secure.. (although not alarmed)

So how does some cnut manage to get into my car and swipe my satnav without a hint of any sign of entry ? If the dogs had not barked last night when the same cnut was in my back garden I would have been clueless this morning.

I called the guards and they said there were a number of cars done in the area last night, I know for sure another was an Audi A3... 2003...

Anyone any ideas ?

xavierg

and you say no sign of entry? wow. esp on an audi. im around audi's alot and geez.they tend to lock themselves after a while.. if they are no signs of entry while it was locked.. them maybe the key fob was cloned.. its very wierd.. :eek:

crosstownk

Yeah - weird alright. Spare key? The flashing light indicates that the deadlocking is engaged so if someone had a duplicate key then it would be no problem. You won't open an Audi with a jemmy bar.

Are all your locks (including the boot) working correctly?

Very odd.

Victor_M

I'd wager that the most likely scenario is that you accidentally opened the car with the keys in your pocket without noticing, I have done this many times.

I doubt anyone would go to the trouble of getting a spare key without going the whole hog and getting it coded and stealing the whole car.

NewApproach

Be very wary, often thieves use the decoy of stealing something small, like a satnav, to suss the area and the car out before going back to take the lot a week or so later. I would recommend going to an Audi garage and seeing if they can recode it or something similar. Chris could give you advice on that...

crosstownk

Victor_M wrote: »

I'd wager that the most likely scenario is that you accidentally opened the car with the keys in your pocket without noticing, I have done this many times.

I'm not sure about a 2003 Audi, but certainly more recent ones will relock if the remote is pressed and no door (or boot) is opened after 60 seconds. Maybe the OP could check this out.

Victor_M wrote: »

I doubt anyone would go to the trouble of getting a spare key without going the whole hog and getting it coded and stealing the whole car.

Agreed.

jkb_dub

Thanks for the replies...

The only logical explanation I can come up with is that I did not lock it... a remote possibility but it could have happened...

But when I'm told that 3 other cars had been done in the same way, items from inside stolen and no sign of entry then I wonder... And finally I find out 1 of those 3 is another Audi... too many coincidences ?

And now the plot thickens... I just did a search of the driveway and what do I find ? A thin piece of cord, about 2 feet long, with a loop at the end and a knot in the middle... maybe someone did the old coat hanger trick ??

Safe to say I'm now getting an alarm installed...

nogoodnamesleft

Victor_M wrote: »

I'd wager that the most likely scenario is that you accidentally opened the car with the keys in your pocket without noticing, I have done this many times.

I doubt anyone would go to the trouble of getting a spare key without going the whole hog and getting it coded and stealing the whole car.

I have a 2003 Passat Highline and if you unlock the car and do not open the door or boot after 60sec or so, it will re lock itself.

Very strange one for the OP thou...

gpjordanf1

crosstownk wrote: »

I'm not sure about a 2003 Audi, but certainly more recent ones will relock if the remote is pressed and no door (or boot) is opened after 60 seconds. Maybe the OP could check this out.

Standard on VW since 2000, a friend of mine had their 06 A3 broken into, apparently if you check bumper on front you will see a scuff mark where they hit / push it and the locks pop, wierd, but sure enough when they checked the car there was the scuff mark. Info came from the Guards, I seen the mark also, couldn't believe it.

Guy:Incognito

gpjordanf1 wrote: »

Standard on VW since 2000,.

Would have thought it was on everythign nowadays. My 00 Clio does it.

crosstownk

gpjordanf1 wrote: »

Standard on VW since 2000, a friend of mine had their 06 A3 broken into, apparently if you check bumper on front you will see a scuff mark where they hit / push it and the locks pop, wierd, but sure enough when they checked the car there was the scuff mark. Info came from the Guards, I seen the mark also, couldn't believe it.

I've heard this story before - apparently it's a trick to trigger a crash/impact sensor that unlocks the car as a safety feature.

I'm not convinced if it's true - it's too simple. If the car was locked and the deadlocks engaged then why trigger a safety feature..........

BillyGoatGruff

I have seen a recovery truck guy get into a locked audi a4 2005 with a bit of oil, an air pack that you side it the top of the door and then pump up and a bit of wire with a pully loop at the end of it. Once car was opened there was no sign of entry and he was in in about 3 minutes. Maybe this is what was used. Of does the deadbolts mean it cant be opened from the inside. Maybe the airpack was used and the open locks button was hiot inside the car. Otherwise, I have no idea. Does my reason sound plausible.

BillyGoatGruff

crosstownk wrote: »

I've heard this story before - apparently it's a trick to trigger a crash/impact sensor that unlocks the car as a safety feature.

I'm not convinced if it's true - it's too simple. If the car was locked and the deadlocks engaged then why trigger a safety feature..........

Don't think that's true. I heard if you are in a frontal impact strong enough to delploy the airbags, then the door locks will pop open. Yes/No?

crosstownk

BillyGoatGruff wrote: »

does the deadbolts mean it cant be opened from the inside.

Both inside and outside according to Audi.

crosstownk

BillyGoatGruff wrote: »

Don't think that's true. I heard if you are in a frontal impact strong enough to delploy the airbags, then the door locks will pop open. Yes/No?

Yes - if the car is switched on. But if the car has been deadlocked (only possible from the outside) then why open the doors. Deadlocks can only be engaged from outside the car........

bladebrew

i have heard of tricks like this before,i think it was the old a-class merc,that if a certain point was hit with something heavy it would unlock the car, i have no idea if this is true or not though,

maybe i missed something here,but was the car still locked the following morning??

BillyGoatGruff

crosstownk wrote: »

Yes - if the car is switched on. But if the car has been deadlocked (only possible from the outside) then why open the doors. Deadlocks can only be engaged from outside the car........

Exactly. So why would a little bang that would only cause a scuff open the doors.

allthedoyles

jkb_dub wrote: »

So how does some cnut manage to get into my car and swipe my satnav without a hint of any sign of entry ?
Anyone any ideas ?

I just wonder , did you leave the sat-nav in a prominent place , where it was visible from outside the car ? .

galwaytt

jkb_dub wrote: »

Safe to say I'm now getting an alarm installed...

...sorry for your trouble...very worrying......

...but I have to ask: why doesn't your car have an alarm already ? Actually, I'd be shocked if it doesn't. I had 2 x 00 Audi's and both had alarms as standard ( I know, they went off a few times........)

Are you sure that the alarm hasn't just been disabled ?

jkb_dub

galwaytt wrote: »

...sorry for your trouble...very worrying......

...but I have to ask: why doesn't your car have an alarm already ? Actually, I'd be shocked if it doesn't. I had 2 x 00 Audi's and both had alarms as standard ( I know, they went off a few times........)

Are you sure that the alarm hasn't just been disabled ?

Thanks again for the posts, some interesting points.
I'm sure there is no alarm, an optional extra.
I'll call Audi on Monday and see if they have any ideas.
I checked all around the car and there were no scuff marks on the bumpers. Thanks again

L-M

Strange alright. Let us know either way how you get on.

On another note, I don't know if it's smart to be posting on a public forum all of ye're idea's on how to break into cars. So without making this thread completely useless, try and keep the how to's to a minimal.

luckat

How insulting that they took the satnav and didn't take the car - I feel for you.

Sounds to me like local kids showing off to their mates, really. But it's a good idea to get an alarm. (Hm, wonder if any of the local kids have family who run alarm installation companies )

-Chris-

Victor_M wrote: »

I'd wager that the most likely scenario is that you accidentally opened the car with the keys in your pocket without noticing, I have done this many times.

+1

crosstownk wrote: »

I'm not sure about a 2003 Audi, but certainly more recent ones will relock if the remote is pressed and no door (or boot) is opened after 60 seconds. Maybe the OP could check this out.

Yep

jkb_dub wrote: »

But when I'm told that 3 other cars had been done in the same way, items from inside stolen and no sign of entry then I wonder... And finally I find out 1 of those 3 is another Audi... too many coincidences ?

Vehicle security ratings here: http://www.thatcham.org/nvsr/index.jsp?page=200. Audi do pretty well in general.


I have a customer who asked me to get an alarm fitted to his car the other day because he was looking out a bedroom window and saw two lads walking up his street checking the doorhandles of each car to see if any were unlocked. Opportunism at its finest!


Get an alarm fitted, they're pretty cheap nowadays.
There are more hints here: http://www.thatcham.org/security/index.jsp?page=20

Del2005

Limerick man wrote: »

Strange alright. Let us know either way how you get on.

On another note, I don't know if it's smart to be posting on a public forum all of ye're idea's on how to break into cars. So without making this thread completely useless, try and keep the how to's to a minimal.

I think the scumbags already know all the ways into cars and houses, they have much better info then some random postings on the internet

-Chris- wrote: »

+1


I have a customer who asked me to get an alarm fitted to his car the other day because he was looking out a bedroom window and saw two lads walking up his street checking the doorhandles of each car to see if any were unlocked. Opportunism at its finest!


Get an alarm fitted, they're pretty cheap nowadays.
There are more hints here: http://www.thatcham.org/security/index.jsp?page=20

If the person hasn't locked their car then the alarm won't work so fitting the alarm only works if they lock the car. And since all new cars can't be stolen without the keys an alarm won't save the car, unless you go for a high end alarm with anti jack but most won't get that. An alarm will make noise when they break the window to steal visible items, but it would be cheaper to not leave anything on display.

L-M

Del2005 wrote: »

I think the scumbags already know all the ways into cars and houses, they have much better info then some random postings on the internet.

May be very well true, but still irrelevant.

Volvoboy

Did you check the wiring going to the door from the A pillar??

I know on some cars (merc's and fords) thiefs would cut the wires with a hack saw blade in the gap between the door and the wing and the doors would open.

I've changed many a wiring loom back in the day because of this.

Tabnabs

-Chris- wrote: »

+1
Vehicle security ratings here: http://www.thatcham.org/nvsr/index.jsp?page=200. Audi do pretty well in general.

Good site, thanks for posting, my car got 5/5 for theft of and 4/5 for theft from.

galwaytt

jkb_dub wrote: »

Thanks again for the posts, some interesting points.
I'm sure there is no alarm, an optional extra.
I'll call Audi on Monday and see if they have any ideas.
I checked all around the car and there were no scuff marks on the bumpers. Thanks again

The alarm in a modern car is not a separate item - it's merely a function of the immobiliser (which you do have), so I'm having severe difficulty in believing your car doesn't have one........

Question: when you collected the car, did the Audi rep sit you down and get you to tick all the settings you wanted on the car software (locks, immobiliser settings, etc etc...), and then activate them via their computer ?

They should have.

Maybe the artist formerly known as Audi Chris could help, here ?

-Chris-

From a new car ordering pov, ordering an alarm in an A4 is a box you tick at order time. It's not standard.

That being said - if you're suggesting that all A4s are built with alarms, but they only "activate" it if you pay for the extra, and you can have it activated through the software later anyway - I'm not familiar with that at all.

L1011

galwaytt wrote: »

The alarm in a modern car is not a separate item - it's merely a function of the immobiliser (which you do have), so I'm having severe difficulty in believing your car doesn't have one........

Its entirely possible to have a full immobiliser and no alarm in a brand new car. Immobilisers are legally required in UK spec cars this past decade or so - go look at how few low to mid spec brand new models have a factory alarm.

I've a relatively decent factory fitted rolling code immob - and no alarm.

ninty9er

If you have a second car I'd block the A5 in with it every night until you get the key recoded, and in general.

old boy

it is quite easy to record the immobelizer, door lock, then read the code, then make up the code reqiured, how many cozzies are ahem removed this way,

-Chris-

Were cossies even on a rolling-code system? That's pretty old technology

TheKnowledge

A frequency scanning device can be used to activate some car alarm systems. Similar to scanning frequencies to open electric gates. If the thief parks near the car and activates the device, all they have to do is wait for the hazards to flash and go for it. Its very difficult to protect against but its a complex piece of kit for a regular thief. I dont know much about them but i've heard on the web about them being used.