ARTICLE: How to protect your car from THEFT

manishkapadia · 15th January 2010, 22:24

As someone who has just got his car boosted ( stolen ) last month i can tell you that thieves are getting wiser by the day. The theft of cars is not a one man job anymore.

Cars without immobilisers are first targets. They are opened by thieves. Started by car mechanic , driven out of city by a set of drivers and sold / scrapped by other set of people . The cop who took my complaint last month says that these are gang jobs.

I dont know if these car boosters are hand in glove with police people .

My share of hints to add here.

1) If your car has immobiliser then get a mechanical only key made for your cleaners . I have done the same on my new City. Though you may trust your cleaners it does not take too much time to make a duplicate key with the immobiliser code if they have access to it.

There are places in Mumbai where you can give your honda keys and they will give you an exact replica ( with immob ) . No need to even take your car over there .

2) As far as possible avoid using valets . Specially in malls .

3) Pray to god that your car is no knicked.

blackasta · 16th January 2010, 00:25

with all due respect, have people become so lazy so as not even go down and unlock the car for the cleaner?

mpksuhas · 16th January 2010, 07:46

I guess its available. I have seen cops using a crude version of this in Hyderabad and Bangalore to lock cars parked on road side. Once you pay the fine they will come and unlock it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ceejay123

Guys we can also use tire locks like this but I doubt if these are available in India.

Does any one know if GPS based tracker available in India? Had checked few links by searching online, but all those turned out to be Mobile based trackers. The ones which got a mobile SIM card which transmits its cell id to another mobile as SMS. The drawback in this set up being a cell tower can have a coverage diameter of up to 25 kms or so. And in those case it becomes bit tough to track the exact location of vehicle. Guess a GPS based tracker will overcome this issue.

prince_pervez · 16th January 2010, 09:13

If I were to find my car hooked with a traffic tyre lock. I'd 'purchase' (euphemism at its best) it from the cop on duty with the key and live happily ever after

adnaps · 16th January 2010, 09:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinaydas

also a gps tracker also is a very efficient device to find out the position of your stolen vehicle.

The system will work only when the car is out in the open. It is still better than nothing.

greatpower · 16th January 2010, 12:13

Is it OK to keep only Xerox copies of your registration and insurance in the car? If stopped, with the cop accept it?

manishkapadia · 16th January 2010, 16:36

Greatpower - Yes it is ok to keep xerox copies only.

blackaska - I am quite sure lot many people give car keys to their cleaners . Atleast everyone i know having cars in our building does .

For eg If a cleaner cleans 10 cars in one building it would be silly to assume that he would call or come up to ask for unlocking every time hes finished with one car . By giving the key to cleaner the car remains unlocked only when your car is being cleaned against the entire morning timeframe of cleaning . Cleaners too are busy people and value their time.

blackasta · 16th January 2010, 17:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by manishkapadia

blackaska - I am quite sure lot many people give car keys to their cleaners . Atleast everyone i know having cars in our building does .

For eg If a cleaner cleans 10 cars in one building it would be silly to assume that he would call or come up to ask for unlocking every time hes finished with one car . By giving the key to cleaner the car remains unlocked only when your car is being cleaned against the entire morning timeframe of cleaning . Cleaners too are busy people and value their time.

Tricky situation!
unlock car yourself = car stays unlocked for few hours = car may be stolen
give keys to cleaner = may make key copies = car may be stolen

manishkapadia · 16th January 2010, 18:34

Thats why i said give keys that can only unlock doors but Not start the engine. I hope that some day we can use a 8 character password + the smartcard key to start Motor car engines.

16th January 2010, 18:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by manishkapadia

it does not take too much time to make a duplicate key with the immobiliser code if they have access to it.
There are places in Mumbai where you can give your honda keys and they will give you an exact replica ( with immob ).

I got 2 chip-embedded keys one each with and without remote-control + code card containing electronic and mechanical codes with my Fiat Linea. I think they are Italian-made because the instructions are printed in Italian and English. So far, I was under the impression that my vehicle is fully safeguarded against theft as long as the keys are with me. I am shocked to the core to note that even these keys are vulnerable for duplication.

naveenjatti1 · 18th January 2010, 13:40

Recently i heard from my cousin who stays in US, there is a car security system by name "LoJack". A GPS device is installed in the car, its hidden location is not even revealed to the owner of the car. Therefore it will be much difficult for the car thief to find the device. The police use their system to track the car, when they get a complaint from the car owner. If the car gets stolen owner of the car gives a complaint to the police, then police can track the car within few hours.

Please check this link,LoJack Car Security System for Stolen Vehicle Recovery according to the website "when a vehicle is stolen, LoJack helps get it back fast. A LoJack transmitter hidden in the car helps the police track & recover it, often within few hours. Thieves can't find it, thick walls can't stop it, when it comes to recovering a stolen car" The LoJack website also claims that, "It offers a 24 hours recovery guarantee. Now that's peace of Mind".

prince_pervez · 18th January 2010, 15:06

^^Uhu, no dealers in India. Also I'm not sure if it would be supported by the Police everywhere in India. It takes away a chunk of their perks (sometimes).

xingamazon · 18th January 2010, 15:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dippy

Buy a market dud : Cars like the Fiat Palio, Ford Mondeo and Mitsubishi Cedia found few takers in the new car bazaar. Good news is, thanks to their dismal market performance, even fewer thieves are interested in these cars.

Something Ford, Mistubishi and Fiat can be proud of. Thier cars are mroe theft protected than what iCATS can guarantee.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dippy

For the really paranoid : Remove the main fuse and carry it along with you. No one expects thieves to come equipped with fuses. This is a worthy suggestion for those times that you are out travelling, and your car will remain unused in its parking spot for a longer period of time.

I am really interested on this one, I park my car in open only when I go to my aunts house (which is once on 4-5 months) and have sleepless night.
Can someone show me pics of what this fuse is and how can one remove it.

And by the way, this is a great and really useful thread Dippy Hats off to you for that..

chaunfa · 18th January 2010, 15:51

My Bolero was stolen in it's first year. It had a remote lock but no alarm. I thought I was real smart and hadn't installed an auto alarm thinking that no thief would know. Big mistake. It was stolen at 5.15 a.m. , the guard opened the gate at 5.10 a.m. It was found at a village near Lucknow called Itauja. The thief had fallen asleep at the wheel and shoved it into a street side drain. It would otherwise have reached Nepal.
Eversince my car has a auto cop and an Israeli gear lock. Another scary thing the thieves pose as a part of a survey taking executives. They pretend to be from ORG or Marg and want to know the model of your car. Cheeky buggers, the next time I saw one of these Hombres I invited them up for tea...somehow they refused the gesture :-P. Be scared, be very scared.

prince_pervez · 18th January 2010, 15:59

Can you post some pictures of the Isreali gear lock ? ^^
Want to see how different it is from other we have seen.
Thanks!

15th January 2010, 22:24	#61
manishkapadia BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: JVPD , Mumbai Posts: 303 Thanked: 409 Times	As someone who has just got his car boosted ( stolen ) last month i can tell you that thieves are getting wiser by the day. The theft of cars is not a one man job anymore. Cars without immobilisers are first targets. They are opened by thieves. Started by car mechanic , driven out of city by a set of drivers and sold / scrapped by other set of people . The cop who took my complaint last month says that these are gang jobs. I dont know if these car boosters are hand in glove with police people . My share of hints to add here. 1) If your car has immobiliser then get a mechanical only key made for your cleaners . I have done the same on my new City. Though you may trust your cleaners it does not take too much time to make a duplicate key with the immobiliser code if they have access to it. There are places in Mumbai where you can give your honda keys and they will give you an exact replica ( with immob ) . No need to even take your car over there . 2) As far as possible avoid using valets . Specially in malls . 3) Pray to god that your car is no knicked.
	(1) Thanks

16th January 2010, 00:25	#62
blackasta Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: WB 26 Posts: 3,408 Thanked: 2,928 Times View My Garage	with all due respect, have people become so lazy so as not even go down and unlock the car for the cleaner?
	() Thanks

16th January 2010, 09:13	#64
prince_pervez Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Redwood shores, CA, USA Posts: 4,211 Thanked: 53 Times View My Garage	If I were to find my car hooked with a traffic tyre lock. I'd 'purchase' (euphemism at its best) it from the cop on duty with the key and live happily ever after
	() Thanks

16th January 2010, 12:13	#66
greatpower BHPian Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 118 Thanked: 4 Times	Is it OK to keep only Xerox copies of your registration and insurance in the car? If stopped, with the cop accept it?
	() Thanks

16th January 2010, 16:36	#67
manishkapadia BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: JVPD , Mumbai Posts: 303 Thanked: 409 Times	Greatpower - Yes it is ok to keep xerox copies only. blackaska - I am quite sure lot many people give car keys to their cleaners . Atleast everyone i know having cars in our building does . For eg If a cleaner cleans 10 cars in one building it would be silly to assume that he would call or come up to ask for unlocking every time hes finished with one car . By giving the key to cleaner the car remains unlocked only when your car is being cleaned against the entire morning timeframe of cleaning . Cleaners too are busy people and value their time.
	() Thanks

16th January 2010, 18:34	#69
manishkapadia BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: JVPD , Mumbai Posts: 303 Thanked: 409 Times	Thats why i said give keys that can only unlock doors but Not start the engine. I hope that some day we can use a 8 character password + the smartcard key to start Motor car engines.
	() Thanks

18th January 2010, 13:40	#71
naveenjatti1 Newbie Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 6 Thanked: Once	Recently i heard from my cousin who stays in US, there is a car security system by name "LoJack". A GPS device is installed in the car, its hidden location is not even revealed to the owner of the car. Therefore it will be much difficult for the car thief to find the device. The police use their system to track the car, when they get a complaint from the car owner. If the car gets stolen owner of the car gives a complaint to the police, then police can track the car within few hours. Please check this link,LoJack Car Security System for Stolen Vehicle Recovery according to the website "when a vehicle is stolen, LoJack helps get it back fast. A LoJack transmitter hidden in the car helps the police track & recover it, often within few hours. Thieves can't find it, thick walls can't stop it, when it comes to recovering a stolen car" The LoJack website also claims that, "It offers a 24 hours recovery guarantee. Now that's peace of Mind".
	() Thanks

18th January 2010, 15:06	#72
prince_pervez Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Redwood shores, CA, USA Posts: 4,211 Thanked: 53 Times View My Garage	^^Uhu, no dealers in India. Also I'm not sure if it would be supported by the Police everywhere in India. It takes away a chunk of their perks (sometimes).
	() Thanks

18th January 2010, 15:51	#74
chaunfa BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 126 Thanked: 19 Times	My Bolero was stolen in it's first year. It had a remote lock but no alarm. I thought I was real smart and hadn't installed an auto alarm thinking that no thief would know. Big mistake. It was stolen at 5.15 a.m. , the guard opened the gate at 5.10 a.m. It was found at a village near Lucknow called Itauja. The thief had fallen asleep at the wheel and shoved it into a street side drain. It would otherwise have reached Nepal. Eversince my car has a auto cop and an Israeli gear lock. Another scary thing the thieves pose as a part of a survey taking executives. They pretend to be from ORG or Marg and want to know the model of your car. Cheeky buggers, the next time I saw one of these Hombres I invited them up for tea...somehow they refused the gesture :-P. Be scared, be very scared.
	() Thanks

18th January 2010, 15:59	#75
prince_pervez Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Redwood shores, CA, USA Posts: 4,211 Thanked: 53 Times View My Garage	Can you post some pictures of the Isreali gear lock ? ^^ Want to see how different it is from other we have seen. Thanks!
	() Thanks