Battery Theft : The new target?

KumaravelS · 21st January 2011, 16:53

Beware when you use roadside electricians shop.

--------------------------

My Zen's battery died off this weekend.

Tried push jump start, didn't work. (streets which doesn't have bitumen, hence couldn't try more)
Called up OMS motors in Velachery Madipakkam Road.
They provided a alternate battery ( Paid 150 Rs ).

Last time I replaced in end of 2007. So 3+ years life.

I was surprised/shocked to see the battery bears different registration number. ( was written and pasted in the sides, which was not visible under the hood).
Though I change Service stations (quite often for convenience) all are Authorized ones.
I suspect road side electrician shop apposite to MEPZ( 1 & 1/2 years back, I used to fix the broken Antenna, where I left and went for a tea ).
Thankfully that roadside car electrician didn't replace with a hopeless battery :-)

Now I would use the team-bhp checklist quite every time I collect from service.

tj123 · 21st January 2011, 17:41

Theft happens because there is a market which accepts such products. I have seen stolen Nike & Adidas shoes being sold on and there is a lot of demand for such product hence it becomes a driving factor for thief’s to go for more.
I am sure there are lot of people who are buying used batteries hence there is a demand for batteries in your area. As a citizen you may try to lodge a complaint at your nearest police station.

I am not sure how much it will help, may be if you want some adventure then you try become a citizen journalist to break this nexus.

Mafia · 15th February 2011, 12:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by download2live

Monograms getting stolen.
Rear view mirrors getting stolen (Honda city anyone?).
A single tyre(?) getting stolen.
And now battery.

Whats next??
Bumper? Doors??? Seats????

Best option now is to start sleeping in the car.

This makes me wonder what a truly unstealable car would like in the future!

sleeping in the car may not be a good idea either! you might get kidnapped with the car and get held for ransom!

ajayc123 · 1st March 2015, 22:23

Friends,
I am in a funny situation. I park my car in a common parking area/street a bit away from my home.
This morning when I went to drive the car it wouldn't start. There was no response at all when I started the ignition key. As the battery was in good condition when I had parked the car a few days back, I did not expect a starting problem.
A few weeks back one of my neighbours car battery had been stolen from close to the same spot. So it appears that the is a battery thief who seems to be operating on a regular basis.
I can go ahead and replace the battery but I wouldn't like to risk it being stolen again.
I really don't have the means to influence the security as I don't stay in a gated society. So I feel that a meaningful thing to do would be to figure out ways to prevent theft.
Some of the ways that I am considering based on some research and enquiries are:

1. remove the battery after parking the car. Very cumbersome and impractical to do it every time.

2. I went to a local mechanic. He suggested that I could get a metallic frame welded around the battery. I may get it done on such a way that I could put a frame on it or get it welded fully such that I would need to cut the frame for removing the battery.

I tried to do some internet research but could not locate any meaningful accessory to achieve this.

I also searched for some keywords on team bhp but could not going anything meaningful.

Looking for suggestions from forum members to address this issue. Thanks in advance.

honeybee · 2nd March 2015, 05:48

Get a Nano! With the battery inside the car, secured under the drivers seat, it's one item that cannot be stolen easily.

mayankk · 2nd March 2015, 09:32

How about a car cover, tied over at night.
With most thieves, they usually pass cars where they may have to spend too much time.
A rope looped under and tied together( you could also get a chain, lock it) holding the cover in place could be enough.

scopriobharath · 2nd March 2015, 10:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajayc123

I also searched for some keywords on team bhp but could not going anything meaningful.

Looking for suggestions from forum members to address this issue. Thanks in advance.

Hi Ajay - One Suggestion - Partial DIY is the way to go.

Go to the nearest "welding" shop and get a bar fabricated as shown in the picture. Just replace the nut circled in red, with a "lock".

Battery Theft : The new target?-battery-lock.png

drmohitg · 2nd March 2015, 10:43

On a different note, how do these people manage to access the battery inside the bonnet? Do they unlock the car first? In that case isn't it much easier to take away the ICE rather than go for the battery?

zenren · 2nd March 2015, 11:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by drmohitg

On a different note, how do these people manage to access the battery inside the bonnet? Do they unlock the car first? In that case isn't it much easier to take away the ICE rather than go for the battery?

In some cars like Zen, there would be a small gap between the bonnet and the grill even when the bonnet is in locked position. I assume a very flat and strong rod might be able to unlock the bonnet through this gap even without the lock being released from the inside.

My Zen is in my hometown; so I cannot check myself but from what I recall, it has a simple locking mechanism. Someone else can probably check it out. Even otherwise, opening locked door for Zen/M800/Indica (personal experience) is less than 5 minutes job for a mechanic or a thief.

::CMS:: · 2nd March 2015, 12:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by scopriobharath

Just replace the nut circled in red, with a "lock".

What about the other side nut. Moreover they may prefer to cut the bar instead of the lock.

scopriobharath · 2nd March 2015, 15:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by ::CMS::

What about the other side nut. Moreover they may prefer to cut the bar instead of the lock.

the other side can be a Hinge mechanism (weld the hinge to the frame and movable arm. We can even use a simple household hinge for the same, which is available at any hardware store.

jessie007 · 2nd March 2015, 16:06

Not exactly battery theft, but a scary incident happened with our family a few years back. We were on the highway & doing around 70 kmph and suddenly the rear of the vehicle (1996 Tata Sumo) started shuddering. My father slowed down and parked the vehicle at the side of the road. On getting down I found that all four wheel nuts of the rear left time were undone and about to fall off. Had we not stopped in time, the wheel might as well have come off and god knows what would have happened.

With difficulty we tightened the nuts to an extend, as the groove on the bolt had almost vanished due to friction as the wheel rim was cutting it as it was all loose. Luckily there was a workshop nearby and even though it was a Sunday and the workshop was closed - a resident mechanic helped and tightened the nuts with the big spanner. Required a lot of effort to force cut the screwable grooves for the nut.

Later on introspection, my father realised that the day before he had gone to Mayapuri (a automobile spare parts / junk market area), where the vehicle was parked unattended for about half an hour. Someone might have tried to undo the nuts and steal the tyre. But before they could do it, my father cam back so they must have ran away. The tyre of the Sumo at that time might have been in the range of Rs 4-5000.

From that day, we make ensure to check the wheel nuts once, before going on a highway / long journey.

ajayc123 · 2nd March 2015, 18:12

Mod note: Back to back posts, use Multi Quote [Quote+] instead. Thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zenren

In some cars like Zen, there would be a small gap between the bonnet and the grill even when the bonnet is in locked position. I assume a very flat and strong rod might be able to unlock the bonnet through this gap even without the lock being released from the inside.

My Zen is in my hometown; so I cannot check myself but from what I recall, it has a simple locking mechanism. Someone else can probably check it out. Even otherwise, opening locked door for Zen/M800/Indica (personal experience) is less than 5 minutes job for a mechanic or a thief.

My car is actually a zen ( old zen mh 410 11 year old the one before estilo) so you are spot on. The other case of battery theft was that of a santro. I will be going to a welder in a day or two and check his direction. Thanks to all for their tips so far.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mayankk

How about a car cover, tied over at night.
With most thieves, they usually pass cars where they may have to spend too much time.
A rope looped under and tied together( you could also get a chain, lock it) holding the cover in place could be enough.

A scary option if that too gets stolen too ? :o

rajneeesh · 2nd March 2015, 19:46

Well I have had the battery stolen from my Indica around 5- 6 years back. The thief had removed the beading of the rear quarter glass and opened the car. Luckily for me, he did not take the ICE away. As luck would have it, there was some problem with my Auto cop and it was not functional at that time.

The first thing I did after I got the new battery was call the Auto Cop service helpline and had the problem attended to.

chaudh2s · 2nd March 2015, 20:13

Just like the traditional indian way of painting walls with "gadhey ke put, yahaan mat mut", to desist a potential culprit urinating on walls. A similar way to try changing the mood/intention of the battery thief is, paint a rhyming one liner near/on the battery, "gadhi key veeraa, battery mat churaa".

Who knows, the battery thief might get emotional, and leave your car.

21st January 2011, 16:53	#16
KumaravelS BHPian Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 98 Thanked: 23 Times	Re: Battery Theft : The new target? Beware when you use roadside electricians shop. -------------------------- My Zen's battery died off this weekend. Tried push jump start, didn't work. (streets which doesn't have bitumen, hence couldn't try more) Called up OMS motors in Velachery Madipakkam Road. They provided a alternate battery ( Paid 150 Rs ). Last time I replaced in end of 2007. So 3+ years life. I was surprised/shocked to see the battery bears different registration number. ( was written and pasted in the sides, which was not visible under the hood). Though I change Service stations (quite often for convenience) all are Authorized ones. I suspect road side electrician shop apposite to MEPZ( 1 & 1/2 years back, I used to fix the broken Antenna, where I left and went for a tea ). Thankfully that roadside car electrician didn't replace with a hopeless battery :-) Now I would use the team-bhp checklist quite every time I collect from service.
	() Thanks

21st January 2011, 17:41	#17
tj123 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: BLR Posts: 1,148 Thanked: 680 Times	Re: Battery Theft : The new target? Theft happens because there is a market which accepts such products. I have seen stolen Nike & Adidas shoes being sold on and there is a lot of demand for such product hence it becomes a driving factor for thief’s to go for more. I am sure there are lot of people who are buying used batteries hence there is a demand for batteries in your area. As a citizen you may try to lodge a complaint at your nearest police station. I am not sure how much it will help, may be if you want some adventure then you try become a citizen journalist to break this nexus.
	() Thanks

1st March 2015, 22:23	#19
ajayc123 BHPian Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Delhi Posts: 917 Thanked: 2,364 Times	Prevent car battery theft Friends, I am in a funny situation. I park my car in a common parking area/street a bit away from my home. This morning when I went to drive the car it wouldn't start. There was no response at all when I started the ignition key. As the battery was in good condition when I had parked the car a few days back, I did not expect a starting problem. A few weeks back one of my neighbours car battery had been stolen from close to the same spot. So it appears that the is a battery thief who seems to be operating on a regular basis. I can go ahead and replace the battery but I wouldn't like to risk it being stolen again. I really don't have the means to influence the security as I don't stay in a gated society. So I feel that a meaningful thing to do would be to figure out ways to prevent theft. Some of the ways that I am considering based on some research and enquiries are: 1. remove the battery after parking the car. Very cumbersome and impractical to do it every time. 2. I went to a local mechanic. He suggested that I could get a metallic frame welded around the battery. I may get it done on such a way that I could put a frame on it or get it welded fully such that I would need to cut the frame for removing the battery. I tried to do some internet research but could not locate any meaningful accessory to achieve this. I also searched for some keywords on team bhp but could not going anything meaningful. Looking for suggestions from forum members to address this issue. Thanks in advance.
	() Thanks

2nd March 2015, 05:48	#20
honeybee Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Dombivli Posts: 3,056 Thanked: 2,139 Times View My Garage	Get a Nano! With the battery inside the car, secured under the drivers seat, it's one item that cannot be stolen easily.
	(2) Thanks

2nd March 2015, 09:32	#21
mayankk Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: New Delhi Posts: 5,148 Thanked: 8,168 Times View My Garage	How about a car cover, tied over at night. With most thieves, they usually pass cars where they may have to spend too much time. A rope looped under and tied together( you could also get a chain, lock it) holding the cover in place could be enough.
	() Thanks

2nd March 2015, 10:43	#23
drmohitg Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Liverpool/Delhi Posts: 5,439 Thanked: 7,543 Times	Re: Battery Theft : The new target? On a different note, how do these people manage to access the battery inside the bonnet? Do they unlock the car first? In that case isn't it much easier to take away the ICE rather than go for the battery?
	() Thanks

2nd March 2015, 16:06	#27
jessie007 BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 792 Thanked: 1,559 Times View My Garage	Re: Battery Theft : The new target? Not exactly battery theft, but a scary incident happened with our family a few years back. We were on the highway & doing around 70 kmph and suddenly the rear of the vehicle (1996 Tata Sumo) started shuddering. My father slowed down and parked the vehicle at the side of the road. On getting down I found that all four wheel nuts of the rear left time were undone and about to fall off. Had we not stopped in time, the wheel might as well have come off and god knows what would have happened. With difficulty we tightened the nuts to an extend, as the groove on the bolt had almost vanished due to friction as the wheel rim was cutting it as it was all loose. Luckily there was a workshop nearby and even though it was a Sunday and the workshop was closed - a resident mechanic helped and tightened the nuts with the big spanner. Required a lot of effort to force cut the screwable grooves for the nut. Later on introspection, my father realised that the day before he had gone to Mayapuri (a automobile spare parts / junk market area), where the vehicle was parked unattended for about half an hour. Someone might have tried to undo the nuts and steal the tyre. But before they could do it, my father cam back so they must have ran away. The tyre of the Sumo at that time might have been in the range of Rs 4-5000. From that day, we make ensure to check the wheel nuts once, before going on a highway / long journey.
	() Thanks

2nd March 2015, 19:46	#29
rajneeesh Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: noida Posts: 1,114 Thanked: 542 Times	Re: Battery Theft : The new target? Well I have had the battery stolen from my Indica around 5- 6 years back. The thief had removed the beading of the rear quarter glass and opened the car. Luckily for me, he did not take the ICE away. As luck would have it, there was some problem with my Auto cop and it was not functional at that time. The first thing I did after I got the new battery was call the Auto Cop service helpline and had the problem attended to. Last edited by rajneeesh : 2nd March 2015 at 19:47.
	() Thanks

2nd March 2015, 20:13	#30
chaudh2s BANNED Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 388 Thanked: 818 Times	Re: Battery Theft : The new target? Just like the traditional indian way of painting walls with "gadhey ke put, yahaan mat mut", to desist a potential culprit urinating on walls. A similar way to try changing the mood/intention of the battery thief is, paint a rhyming one liner near/on the battery, "gadhi key veeraa, battery mat churaa". Who knows, the battery thief might get emotional, and leave your car.
	() Thanks