Car being watched/scoped out GS 450h. What to do?

gonko

Hi All

As the title says, my car is being or is on a target list for some scummers. I pulled into the complex where I live the other night to have a ford Transit sitting next to me. As I turned the car off, I remembered I forgot to get something on the way home, so started the car again (keyless setup) transponder key with no ignition etc. Anyway, I decided to follow the van and it made some weird direction changes ( I was about 6 vehicles being and they do know I followed them, as eventually they did a strange U turn). I eventually got right up behind it after a game of cat & mouse on a different road to ensure I got the reg plate...and they know I have it too, surely. So with all this highly suspicious stuff going on, I noticed the van driving by my place about 15 minutes later. With that, I took the car to a safer location, where it still remains. So I came in from a kick-about today, and I notice a car drive in and straight out of the complex.

Anyhow, I am 90% sure that the people in the van copied my key-code from the keyless ignition/security system. They were in the Transit van on thursday night sitting in the spot next to the one I normally park in....and now they are doing random drive by visits looking for the car.

The car in question is a 2006 Lexus GS450h. Why they are going for this I do not know. However I fear and am pretty convinced they managed to get my key and transponder copied while I parked the other night.
The only other thing I can imagine is they were after the alloy wheels (standard GS450h rims) as they have no lock nuts (I know, I know).

What do I do now lads. I do have a spare runabout I can drive to my place, but I also cannot live in fear of a car being taken. Is there any way I can somehow 'reset' both key fobs and reset the ECU, assuming they have somehow cloned or copied my key....which I think is almost a certainty


Advice needed. Thanks guys.

ED E

Edit out your comment from the first paragraph or the mods will be forced to lock this. Dont disagree with you but thread will go nowhere if that happens.

Etc

You can get your fob reset at you're local Lexus dealer, I had to get this done when my house was burgled and one of the keys was stolen. It's not cheap but at least you'll have peace of mind.

GustavoFring

Etc wrote: »

You can get your fob reset at you're local Lexus dealer, I had to get this done when my house was burgled and one of the keys was stolen. It's not cheap but at least you'll have peace of mind.

+1 Get the car keys redone.

Also report it.

Toyotafanboi

OP edited, very frustrating but we can't be speaking like that.

As said, any Toyota dealer can reset your key fobs. This doesn't solve the bigger picture though really. An aftermarket alarm system or kill switch setup may be what you need.

The car isn't worth getting the keys re coded over this, get a switch for you fuel line and turn it off when leaving it by the car overnight. Worst comes to worst they get the car 50 feet up the road and never try again.

bear1

Slap a GPS tracker on it as well and I'd look into getting a camera set up pointing directly to the car.
Don't leave your keys anywhere near the front door just in case and report to the police and provide them with the reg number.

pfx1942

Car keys do not work that way. You can't clone key by just listening to signal that is transmitted between key and car.
Code transmitted is different every time you press button.
Dealer can code out lost or stolen keys, but do not reprogam keys. If key is out of sync with car (code sent by key does not match what car is expecting), then dealer can resync that key.

Toyotafanboi

pfx1942 wrote: »

Car keys do not work that way. You can't clone key by just listening to signal that is transmitted between key and car.

Was that not exactly the problem with keyless BMWs and VWs a while back?

Miike

pfx1942 wrote: »

Car keys do not work that way. You can't clone key by just listening to signal that is transmitted between key and car.
Code transmitted is different every time you press button.
Dealer can code out lost or stolen keys, but do not reprogam keys. If key is out of sync with car (code sent by key does not match what car is expecting), then dealer can resync that key.

Keyless start can be copied like this. http://www.autonews.com/article/20161207/RETAIL04/161209877/mystery-device-helps-thieves-steal-cars-with-push-button-ignitions

Wibbs

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

Was that not exactly the problem with keyless BMWs and VWs a while back?

Depends T, in recent cases what the scum were doing was extending the range of the key - say left on a hall table - so that it would open and start the car outside thinking the fob was in the car. With other cloning thefts they were getting access to the OBD port because of poor internal alarm sensors in BMWs. Once they get to the OBD port they can clone most cars keys. If I was driving anything fancy with such a system I'd definitely get a good third party alarm/immobiliser fitted.

lawred2

An 11 year old car?

If the car is being cased it's hardly for the resell!

mloc123

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

Was that not exactly the problem with keyless BMWs and VWs a while back?

No..

The issue with BMWs and most modern cars is that you can program a 'blank' key to the car via the OBD port. The issue that plagued 5 series was poor alarm coverage, the driver window could be smashed without setting off the alarm and the OBD port could be reached from there.

The other common issue now on cars with keyless entry is that they use an amplifier beside the car which will amplify the 'is the key present' check the car sends when you pull on the handle or tap the keyless entry button... even if the keys are 50ft away the amplified signal will allow the door to open and car to start.

Miike

The copying device can bought on certain parts of the internet where light doesn't shine very brightly. With a bit of searching you can look at the videos people post of them doing this to cars and the reviews on the device its self. For about 1k you can drive away in most keyless entry / keyless start cars.

mloc123

OP... I think you are probably being paranoid here. Cars are stolen for 3 reasons now..

Joy riders - opportunistic thefts, doubtful they would spend time scoping out a car.
Parts - Nearly new cars stolen to be broken and sold as parts, mostly new BMW, Audi etc..
Getaway cars - used for robberies etc.. mainly nearly new high end diesels I would think. I would imagine they mainly aim for easy targets.

mfceiling

Wife works with a guy who lives in portobello in dublin. His aunt came to visit last week and parked on the street. Came back to find 2 of the alloy wheels gone. Lexus as well!!

mickdw

mloc123 wrote: »

OP... I think you are probably being paranoid here. Cars are stolen for 3 reasons now..

Joy riders - opportunistic thefts, doubtful they would spend time scoping out a car.
Parts - Nearly new cars stolen to be broken and sold as parts, mostly new BMW, Audi etc..
Getaway cars - used for robberies etc.. mainly nearly new high end diesels I would think. I would imagine they mainly aim for easy targets.

To be fair a gs 450h will leave almost everything for dead in a straight line. Wouldn't make a bad getaway car at all and would likely be easier to steal than similar performance bmw and not stand out as much.

frozenfrozen

mloc123 wrote: »

Getaway cars - used for robberies etc.. mainly nearly new high end diesels I would think. I would imagine they mainly aim for easy targets.

ah yes, for the cheap tax!

MetzgerMeister

A couple of weeks back I had a white Transit come into the car park at the front of my office building. The driver got out, went over to my car and was looking around it and into it. He even tried to open the fvcking door too. A colleague went out to him and asked what he was doing. He replied "Is dis car for sale?" without having any reason to think it was for sale.

A few hours later a Ford Ranger came in, parked beside my car and left again after about 10 minutes. Again the occupants of this got out and were looking around my car. To say it put the sh!ts up me is an understatement!

Nothing of the sort has happened since but I'm still on edge.

Del2005

I've the same car a few years younger. I live in a complex with open access and the neighbouring area's have very bad reputations, I'm not far from Casement and regularly have the Garda chopper nearby. There was an extremely faded red Liteace which I used to see regularly driving around the area and once when out walking saw it stop to grab a broken kids scooter from a field. Even in "good" areas the scumbags are driving around looking for stuff to steal.

I came out to my car a few months ago and noticed that some scumbags had tried to force the drivers door open, checked around and no other damage. So unless the key is close to an accessible area they aren't taking the car. If they wanted the OPs alloys they'd already be gone, it only takes a few minutes, but I'd definitely be putting lock nuts on to stop opportunists. If you are really worried get an RF blocking bag to store your keys and leave them somewhere out of sight from outside but visible if already indoors.

Seth Brundle

Jon Tangy Romance wrote: »

get a switch for you fuel line and turn it off when leaving it by the car overnight. Worst comes to worst they get the car 50 feet up the road and never try again.

...and then they torch it?

bear1 wrote: »

Don't leave your keys anywhere near the front door just in case and report to the police and provide them with the reg number.

Leave them near enough to the door but in a place that they can't fish them out.
Nobody would want the feckers coming upstairs to ask for the key (and before all the brave people say how they'd do this and that, you probably won't wake in time to know what is going on)

OldMrBrennan83

This post has been deleted.

kbannon

kbannon wrote: »

...and then they torch it?


Leave them near enough to the door but in a place that they can't fish them out.
Nobody would want the feckers coming upstairs to ask for the key (and before all the brave people say how they'd do this and that, you probably won't wake in time to know what is going on)

Why would they torch it if you put a fuel line switch in? I would imagine they would get the hell out of there after it cut out not ring their mate to come back with a can of gas

rhino1

I really hate car thieves. Make it difficult for the scum.Put in a kill switch,alarm and immobiliser.If your in Dublin I recommend icetronix.

Don't overlook old fashioned stuff like a chain on the steering wheel.
Basically work on the principle that they will pick an easier target.

Wibbs

kbannon wrote: »

...and then they torch it?

Or just move onto easier targets.

Leave them near enough to the door but in a place that they can't fish them out.
Nobody would want the feckers coming upstairs to ask for the key (and before all the brave people say how they'd do this and that, you probably won't wake in time to know what is going on)

Generally speaking the forced entry and threat stuff is very rare and more of an (I know a guy who awoke to a boiled kettle over his head)urban myth. Thieves don't want the extra hassle and chances of being caught. Far safer and less hassle to go for the easier steal, of which there would be many to chose from.

Jon Tangy Romance wrote:

I would imagine they would get the hell out of there after it cut out not ring their mate to come back with a can of gas

Jaysus, we're importing American car thieves now? Or they're targeting cars with LPG conversions... :D

rhino1 wrote: »

Basically work on the principle that they will pick an easier target.

This. So much this.

MetzgerMeister

Wibbs wrote: »

I know a guy who awoke to a boiled letter over his head

:eek:

I hope they used headed paper...also no need to steam the envelope open :pac:








I'll see myself out!

antodeco

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

:eek:

I hope they used headed paper...also no need to steam the envelope open :pac:

I'll see myself out!

They've been trying to stamp it out for ages!

Seth Brundle

Wibbs wrote: »

Generally speaking the forced entry and threat stuff is very rare and more of an (I know a guy who awoke to a boiled letter over his head)urban myth. Thieves don't want the extra hassle and chances of being caught. Far safer and less hassle to go for the easier steal, of which there would be many to chose from.

True.
However a neighbour of the inlaws in Belfast was beaten in his bed with a hammer by some psycho joyrider. Never woke again. A car just isn't worth the hassle.

jimbis

Going slightly off the original topic, I agree with people leaving keys downstairs and out of sight but you also should be setting your house alarm aswell. This will cut out any fear of 'boiling kettles'

endacl

Is there a case for a strongly worded kettle to be sent?

Voodoomelon

I always imagine these car thieves in someones kitchen, a full kettle boiling away at full blast, with the thief drumming his fingers on the counter whistling away, hoping to god it will reach boiling before someone wakes up...

corks finest

gonko wrote: »

Hi All

As the title says, my car is being or is on a target list for some scummers. I pulled into the complex where I live the other night to have a ford Transit sitting next to me. As I turned the car off, I remembered I forgot to get something on the way home, so started the car again (keyless setup) transponder key with no ignition etc. Anyway, I decided to follow the van and it made some weird direction changes ( I was about 6 vehicles being and they do know I followed them, as eventually they did a strange U turn). I eventually got right up behind it after a game of cat & mouse on a different road to ensure I got the reg plate...and they know I have it too, surely. So with all this highly suspicious stuff going on, I noticed the van driving by my place about 15 minutes later. With that, I took the car to a safer location, where it still remains. So I came in from a kick-about today, and I notice a car drive in and straight out of the complex.

Anyhow, I am 90% sure that the people in the van copied my key-code from the keyless ignition/security system. They were in the Transit van on thursday night sitting in the spot next to the one I normally park in....and now they are doing random drive by visits looking for the car.

The car in question is a 2006 Lexus GS450h. Why they are going for this I do not know. However I fear and am pretty convinced they managed to get my key and transponder copied while I parked the other night.
The only other thing I can imagine is they were after the alloy wheels (standard GS450h rims) as they have no lock nuts (I know, I know).

What do I do now lads. I do have a spare runabout I can drive to my place, but I also cannot live in fear of a car being taken. Is there any way I can somehow 'reset' both key fobs and reset the ECU, assuming they have somehow cloned or copied my key....which I think is almost a certainty


Advice needed. Thanks guys.

I'd calm down, don't get paranoid,give reg etc to Gardai,dash cam in place,and stay the hell away from the idiots,don't think they'll be intent on robbing an old car, with a decent alarm etc

Cee-Jay-Cee

After reading this thread I have made the decision to......



















take the kettle upstairs at night.

frozenfrozen

put a kill switch on your kettle and hope they'll move onto an easier target

Kenjataimu

frozenfrozen wrote: »

put a kill switch on your kettle and hope they'll move onto an easier target

He'll be toast then.

Limbo123

Invest in a disklok, kill switch and relocate your obd port. And get a set of locking nuts. All done cheap enough. The disklok being the most expensive at about €100.

Gps tracker signals can be blocked cheap enough ( if they have the technology to recode a key then they probably have a blocker) and CCTV wont stop your car being stolen it will just tell you what time it was robbed.

ShadowHearth

lawred2 wrote: »

An 11 year old car?

If the car is being cased it's hardly for the resell!

I would not be surprised to see that the reason to steal gs450h is that it would be used for a "job". 4 doors, **** loads of power, lots of space and for longer run it will keep up mpg. Its not flashy looking for average joe too.

ShadowHearth

Do they still do this boiling kettle thing?! Wasnt the best defence against it medium to large dog sleeping downstairs? Robbers just wont chance it when animal is involved. Its best alarm ever.

Four Phucs Ache

Remove the gear selector fuse .Won't go anywhere without that.

MetzgerMeister

Four Phucs Ache wrote: »

Remove the gear selector fuse .Won't go anywhere without that.

Although a good idea and one I would like to use, getting access to the fuse box which is way in behind the glove box would be a PITA to do each time if I were to remove/replace it.

Not too bad if the car was going to be sitting up for a few days but not practical on a daily basis.

Buffman

Patww79 wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Nah, no need to burn out your car, just get Magnavolt installed!:D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7U4ZYOBzEEs

And if you're concerned about carjacking, go with the flamethrowers!:eek:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLhWzMOccTg

mikeecho

Buffman wrote: »

And if you're concerned about carjacking, go with the flamethrowers!:eek:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLhWzMOccTg

Will it damage the skirts ?

Buffman

mikeecho wrote: »

Will it damage the skirts ?

Depends, I'd say you'd get away without damage with a quick 'singed' carjacker, but if you go for the well done 'BBQed' carjacker option, you might blister the paint alright.:D

9935452

lawred2 wrote: »

An 11 year old car?

If the car is being cased it's hardly for the resell!

mickdw wrote: »

To be fair a gs 450h will leave almost everything for dead in a straight line. Wouldn't make a bad getaway car at all and would likely be easier to steal than similar performance bmw and not stand out as much.

Years ago a neighbours trooper was stolen . It had bull bars fited and was used to ram gates in a robbery

Jon Tangy Romance wrote: »

Why would they torch it if you put a fuel line switch in? I would imagine they would get the hell out of there after it cut out not ring their mate to come back with a can of gas

They will burn it for 2 reasons .
firstly to destroy any evidence of themselves being in it and secondly out of spite. they dont care

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Although a good idea and one I would like to use, getting access to the fuse box which is way in behind the glove box would be a PITA to do each time if I were to remove/replace it.

Not too bad if the car was going to be sitting up for a few days but not practical on a daily basis.

It would be easy enough to run a hidden switch to the fuse for that. Spade connecters into the fuse holders and wire coming off them to a fuse/switch under the dash or in the glovebox