Which cars are major targets for auto thieves?

sbasak · 5th January 2006, 16:44

In the recent thread of regarding Theft/Autocop, someone pointed out that Maruti 800s are most stolen vehicle in our country.

Is it true? Does anyone have any statistics on what models are most stolen cars in India? How and where do they sale stolen cars? Is it a nationwide phenomena of just belongs to few states/cities?

Unlike Europe/America, India doesn't have any vehicle history check facility (or do we?)
So, how to check for stolen cars in if buying used?

Rtech · 5th January 2006, 16:49

When we had our M800 (thats when everyone had an M800!), the car cleaner used to open all the M800's in the building with just one key!

I think that should say it all.

DCEite · 5th January 2006, 17:13

Given my personal experience, i would say wagonR is the most stolen (or tried to be) .. mine had three close calls. Every time the Gear Lock saved it. Autocop sucks though.

GTO · 5th January 2006, 17:26

Hmmm. Doesnt it make sense that the most sold car is also the most stolen?

What would be more indicative is the number of stolen cars as a percentage of total cars of that brand on the road.

GTO

Surya · 5th January 2006, 17:43

Should we also try to find out which segment cars are stolen the most? or atleast attempted to be stolen?

Surya

2fast4u · 5th January 2006, 17:51

what to say guys christmas week on 24 morning i saw my car parked below the building at 9.00 am and by the time i came back to see at 10.00 am. My babes been missing. A good natured Arab found my car headlights on all night, windows open and informed the cops. 25th evening i find my car all intact only a dead battery. jumped start.

ever since bought a steering lock which has a set of 5 keys. Its a star angled key and the notches are different on all sides and has to be inserted in the key lock as directed. Its almost impossible for a guy to duplicate the key. The laternative left is to cut the steering wheel at 3 places to get the locking mechanism out.
Cost approx Irs 3850/= Main factor is that its a Visual deterrent and in most cases divert a thief to an easier target.

changed door locks to GM 9 lever - cost Rs 1000 approx.

also installed a cut out switch thereby the igntion wont start. the switch is toggle type and can be hidden to which ever place u would like it to be installed. bought the switch and installed it myself.
now my babe is secure but this word "impossible" does not exist for a car thief.

this is something best what u can think of.

Zappo · 5th January 2006, 18:36

This is simple. Marutis are the most often stolen cars... and it is very well known and acknowledged.

I have no experience of how to open cars, neither my friend has. Now a year back we went to Oceanworld near Hyderabad. We took a M800. Now it so happened that after we had unloaded things I was closing the doors... neither I nor my friend realised that the key was hanging in the steering console till I had locked all the doors.

What did we do? After scratching our heads for a while we looked around, located a dry, long twig. We pulled open the driver side weather strip, inserted the twig and pushed the locking mechanism. Khattt... the lock lever (or whatever is that in the door) goes up and the car opens...

Now, what else is left to say guys?

sbasak · 5th January 2006, 19:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zappo

We pulled open the driver side weather strip, inserted the twig and pushed the locking mechanism. Khattt... the lock lever (or whatever is that in the door) goes up and the car opens...

I've seen that trick worked with Santro as well.... may be it works with many cars.....

tsk1979 · 5th January 2006, 19:30

Take out your starter or relay. The thief can steal only if he can tow away. IF you have gear lock then such measures are uneccessary.

.anshuman · 5th January 2006, 19:55

i wonder if a theif will steal a fiat palio/petra,a experienced one will never.

speedsatya · 5th January 2006, 20:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2fast4u

also installed a cut out switch thereby the igntion wont start. the switch is toggle type and can be hidden to which ever place u would like it to be installed. bought the switch and installed it myself.
now my babe is secure but this word "impossible" does not exist for a car thief.

.

hey ...thats smart...i had something similar on my splendor where i had hidden the switch under the seat....about our cars ...i think all maruti cars can be broken into within 2 mins using a scale....

fash_1 · 5th January 2006, 21:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbasak

I've seen that trick worked with Santro as well.... may be it works with many cars.....

Yes it worked in my Ikon when I locked the car with the key inside the boot!

turbo_lover · 5th January 2006, 22:22

well the most stolen car would certainly be the 800 maybe now the alto ..as GTO mentioned the the car in mazimum demand has a high likelihood of being stolen ...

also cheaper cars are easy to dispose off they are usually stolen and driven out of the city/state/region ...

my 1997,800 was stolen in 2003 :(, at the same span of time 3 of my friends reported their 800's stolen ..

somebodystopme · 5th January 2006, 22:48

Well, I think Scorpio is also prone to get stolen...Three of my friends got scorpio when it just came in market and guess what, Two of them were stolen and one was attempted.Theif's ran away when owner saw them breaking into the ignition system.......

k36 · 6th January 2006, 18:03

Here is an interesting link I found by googling

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/7...0,00180007.htm

BTW, is any cell phone-based car alarm system available? a simple device connected to a cell phone which sounds a loud alarm when called from a pre-defined (owner's) phone? I guess this can even be made at home. Will this be useful?

5th January 2006, 16:44	#1
sbasak BHPian Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: CCU-LTN Posts: 608 Thanked: 14 Times	Which cars are major targets for auto thieves? In the recent thread of regarding Theft/Autocop, someone pointed out that Maruti 800s are most stolen vehicle in our country. Is it true? Does anyone have any statistics on what models are most stolen cars in India? How and where do they sale stolen cars? Is it a nationwide phenomena of just belongs to few states/cities? Unlike Europe/America, India doesn't have any vehicle history check facility (or do we?) So, how to check for stolen cars in if buying used?
	() Thanks

5th January 2006, 16:49	#2
Rtech Team-BHP Support Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 5,770 Thanked: 359 Times View My Garage	When we had our M800 (thats when everyone had an M800!), the car cleaner used to open all the M800's in the building with just one key! I think that should say it all.
	() Thanks

5th January 2006, 17:13	#3
DCEite Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: NCR Posts: 3,415 Thanked: 2,535 Times	Given my personal experience, i would say wagonR is the most stolen (or tried to be) .. mine had three close calls. Every time the Gear Lock saved it. Autocop sucks though.
	() Thanks

5th January 2006, 17:26	#4
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 70,501 Thanked: 300,630 Times View My Garage	Hmmm. Doesnt it make sense that the most sold car is also the most stolen? What would be more indicative is the number of stolen cars as a percentage of total cars of that brand on the road. GTO
	() Thanks

5th January 2006, 17:43	#5
Surya BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Chennai. Now in BlueBell, PA, USA Posts: 49 Thanked: 0 Times	Should we also try to find out which segment cars are stolen the most? or atleast attempted to be stolen? Surya
	() Thanks

5th January 2006, 17:51	#6
2fast4u BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: pune / Bahrain Posts: 488 Thanked: 7 Times View My Garage	what to say guys christmas week on 24 morning i saw my car parked below the building at 9.00 am and by the time i came back to see at 10.00 am. My babes been missing. A good natured Arab found my car headlights on all night, windows open and informed the cops. 25th evening i find my car all intact only a dead battery. jumped start. ever since bought a steering lock which has a set of 5 keys. Its a star angled key and the notches are different on all sides and has to be inserted in the key lock as directed. Its almost impossible for a guy to duplicate the key. The laternative left is to cut the steering wheel at 3 places to get the locking mechanism out. Cost approx Irs 3850/= Main factor is that its a Visual deterrent and in most cases divert a thief to an easier target. changed door locks to GM 9 lever - cost Rs 1000 approx. also installed a cut out switch thereby the igntion wont start. the switch is toggle type and can be hidden to which ever place u would like it to be installed. bought the switch and installed it myself. now my babe is secure but this word "impossible" does not exist for a car thief. this is something best what u can think of.
	() Thanks

5th January 2006, 18:36	#7
Zappo Team-BHP Support Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 5,922 Thanked: 2,693 Times	This is simple. Marutis are the most often stolen cars... and it is very well known and acknowledged. I have no experience of how to open cars, neither my friend has. Now a year back we went to Oceanworld near Hyderabad. We took a M800. Now it so happened that after we had unloaded things I was closing the doors... neither I nor my friend realised that the key was hanging in the steering console till I had locked all the doors. What did we do? After scratching our heads for a while we looked around, located a dry, long twig. We pulled open the driver side weather strip, inserted the twig and pushed the locking mechanism. Khattt... the lock lever (or whatever is that in the door) goes up and the car opens... Now, what else is left to say guys?
	() Thanks

5th January 2006, 19:30	#9
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,717 Thanked: 22,825 Times View My Garage	Take out your starter or relay. The thief can steal only if he can tow away. IF you have gear lock then such measures are uneccessary.
	() Thanks

5th January 2006, 19:55	#10
.anshuman Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Good-Gaon Posts: 7,763 Thanked: 11,064 Times View My Garage	i wonder if a theif will steal a fiat palio/petra,a experienced one will never.
	() Thanks

5th January 2006, 22:22	#13
turbo_lover Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,377 Thanked: 9 Times	well the most stolen car would certainly be the 800 maybe now the alto ..as GTO mentioned the the car in mazimum demand has a high likelihood of being stolen ... also cheaper cars are easy to dispose off they are usually stolen and driven out of the city/state/region ... my 1997,800 was stolen in 2003 :(, at the same span of time 3 of my friends reported their 800's stolen ..
	() Thanks

5th January 2006, 22:48	#14
somebodystopme BHPian Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Delhi Posts: 519 Thanked: 43 Times View My Garage	Well, I think Scorpio is also prone to get stolen...Three of my friends got scorpio when it just came in market and guess what, Two of them were stolen and one was attempted.Theif's ran away when owner saw them breaking into the ignition system.......
	() Thanks

6th January 2006, 18:03	#15
k36 BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Pune Posts: 133 Thanked: 21 Times	Here is an interesting link I found by googling http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/7...0,00180007.htm BTW, is any cell phone-based car alarm system available? a simple device connected to a cell phone which sounds a loud alarm when called from a pre-defined (owner's) phone? I guess this can even be made at home. Will this be useful?
	() Thanks