Question Security Theft prevention

DHFrame

I was wondering. Would a simple fuse removal prevent a scanger stealing a car? Pull the right one and surely he would be sat there scratching his scabby head?

Anan1

Presumably he'd know more about auto electrics than you.

DHFrame

Anan1 wrote: »

Presumably he'd know more about auto electrics than you.

So what you're saying is, he'd break in, or steal my keys, get in, diagnose why it wasn't starting, pop the bonnet and pull a 10 amp out of his pocket and place directly into the right hole. Bingo. Off he goes. Do you know what, i'd chase him down just to shake his hand.

jimgoose

DHFrame wrote: »

I was wondering. Would a simple fuse removal prevent a scanger stealing a car? Pull the right one and surely he would be sat there scratching his scabby head?

I expect so. But the biggest heartache with many of the modern cars is the condition of the thing after the little chimp has figured out that he can't start it. I use a stoating great yellow bar across the steering wheel, with a flashing LED on it. Not really worth a damn against a determined tea-leaf, but a great visual.

Cheensbo

Kill switches are a good idea, but depending on where you place them, they can be useless.. the problem is finding a place that's discreet & hidden, but easy to get at without being a hassle/hindrance


These: are great deterrents and will stop/seriously slow down most theieves.

jimgoose wrote: »

I use a stoating great yellow bar across the steering wheel, with a flashing LED on it. Not really worth a damn against a determined tea-leaf, but a great visual.

Dont know how useful these are, but they were always on our old cars

Suppose most of the time the gearknob can be just twisted off if you dont have them placed properly..

jimgoose

Cheensbo wrote: »

...Dont know how useful these are, but they were always on our old cars

Suppose most of the time the gearknob can be just twisted off if you dont have them placed properly..

They beat hell out of having nothing at all there. A lot of the time the visual presence of something like that is enough to put off opportunistic amateurs.

Muckie

Fitting a kill switch in plain sight, many cars have spare switches/buttons.

(usually for fog lights) fit the kill switch here.

Might be better than trying to hide it.

thegreatiam

might just get pissed that your car doesn't start and just trash it.

I grew up in a high car crime area, it was so bad people were accustomed to not even bothering to lock their cars anymore. better to have it stolen for a joyride and find it in a few days with a little less petrol and a few more dings than have to completely replace locks, doors, windows and dash board and god knows what other damage.

A neighbor of ours once left a note on his dashboard in his locked car reading "nothing in car worth stealing"
Come the morning his car was near destroyed, seats torn out, scratched and dented, every surface broken and completely torn apart with the note on his drivers seat, on the back was written "just checking"

Anan1

DHFrame wrote: »

So what you're saying is, he'd break in, or steal my keys, get in, diagnose why it wasn't starting, pop the bonnet and pull a 10 amp out of his pocket and place directly into the right hole. Bingo. Off he goes. Do you know what, i'd chase him down just to shake his hand.

No, that's what you said. The right hole will be obvious, and pretty much anything metal will do.

Wibbs

DHFrame wrote: »

I was wondering. Would a simple fuse removal prevent a scanger stealing a car? Pull the right one and surely he would be sat there scratching his scabby head?

It might confuse them alright. It would certainly be an extra layer. Ditto if you remove a critical relay.

Anan1 wrote: »

Presumably he'd know more about auto electrics than you.

Most of them don't A. Most car thieves are opportunistic mouthbreathers raised on a diet of oven chips and secondhand fag smoke. The "pros" would be a different kettle of fish. They would have knowledge and practiced routines for stealing cars and bypassing basic alarm systems.

Stealing the average car is easy enough. Pre factory immoblised cars are stupidly easy if they haven't got an aftermarket security system. Even when they have an aftermarket alarm, IMHO the majority of alarm installs are piss poor. IE if your siren is under the bonnet and in plain sight, the alarm "brain" is stuck with cable ties under the dash and the ignition relays are in the all too usual place it can even make it easier for the practiced scum. Newer cars with the chip in key are obviously a lot harder, but then the scum just attempt to nick them from your house. The scum have little fear of the law as they know a slap on the wrist is all they'll get, if they're even caught that is.

Cheensbo wrote: »

Kill switches are a good idea, but depending on where you place them, they can be useless.. the problem is finding a place that's discreet & hidden, but easy to get at without being a hassle/hindrance

+1

These: are great deterrents and will stop/seriously slow down most theieves.

It depends on the model of steering bar lock. The scum can even use them as a lever to break the cars own steering lock. Or they cut through the wheel itself with a hacksaw.

Dont know how useful these are, but they were always on our old cars

Suppose most of the time the gearknob can be just twisted off if you dont have them placed properly..

Pretty much.

You can make a car a real PITA to steal(even if they get your keys) and the majority of scum will bugger off and look for an easier target of which there are many.

thegreatiam wrote:

A neighbor of ours once left a note on his dashboard in his locked car reading "nothing in car worth stealing"
Come the morning his car was near destroyed, seats torn out, scratched and dented, every surface broken and completely torn apart with the note on his drivers seat, on the back was written "just checking"

At times like those one does wish for cavity blocks being dropped with force onto fingers...