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Old 12th June 2011, 15:03   #1
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Head Unit Theft, commonplace in Mumbai

This can be deemed a continuation to this thread.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/ask-gu...d-new-one.html

This incident had happened at Yaari Road, Versova. In the below mentioned area.

Head Unit Theft, commonplace in Mumbai-screen-shot-20110612-2.51.01-pm.png

The car was parked right outside the society and a watchman's cabin was at a distance of 5 mts from the vehicle at that time. They stole just the headunit at that time, and I never really liked it and wanted to change it in either case. So I didn't mind it that much. Apart from the fact that Sai Service took horrendously long to get my car fixed and ruined the rear door's central locking in the process. But thats another story al-together. I installed a new head-unit and got an alarm system fit to the car.

The following took place in this area of Juhu JVPD, the car was parked not far from Amitabh Bachahan's House 'Prateeksha'.

Head Unit Theft, commonplace in Mumbai-screen-shot-20110612-2.50.10-pm.png

Here are some pictures of the location of where the car was parked.

Head Unit Theft, commonplace in Mumbai-photo-3.jpg

Here you can see what the watchmen's view is of the car. In-fact there were about a dozen watchmen in total (of all the adjacent buildings within a 20 mt radius of where the car is parked.)

Head Unit Theft, commonplace in Mumbai-photo-2.jpg

And this is what I found when I walked to my car yesterday morning to head to work.

Head Unit Theft, commonplace in Mumbai-photo-6.jpg

Head Unit Theft, commonplace in Mumbai-photo-4.jpg

Head Unit Theft, commonplace in Mumbai-photo-5.jpg

The car was broken into, in plain sight of all the watchmen, the centre console with my expensive head unit had been taken. Not only did no one come to inform me upstairs they didn't even notice it till I brought it up. Also the alarm never went off, this was done in exactly same way as before with a blow to the corner of the front left door.

Head Unit Theft, commonplace in Mumbai-photo.jpg

I don't really know what to say no, I'm quite depressed about the fact that my very expensive (not-insured) stereo has been stolen, the alarm never went off. And this is the second time its happened to me in the last 6 months. I saw quite a few other cars were broken into as-well. This is quite a common practice in Bombay as I heard from the cops when I got the FIR done for the same. I usually don't post much, but wanted to share my experiences here on T-BHP, hopefully with this insight some people will be able to avoid similar losses. The alarm system is useless as you can see for something like this where they don't even open the door or cause enough vibration for it to activate.

This is how my car looks like now, and it would take a while to get all of it sorted, apart from the financial loss; Not having a car in this weather is very undesirable.

Head Unit Theft, commonplace in Mumbai-photo-1.jpg
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Old 12th June 2011, 16:00   #2
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This gang is quite active these days. I don't know why your glass was shattered in our area Khar west parralel to linking road 4 adjoining buildings,13 cars lost Their headunits in the same night. However this was last year in August rains were lashing Mumbai around those days too . In my car the glass of the front right door was neatly cut and shoved below the front door. The watchmen s cabin of the adjoining building was just a wall apart say by 3-4 feet he didn't hear a thing . In that building cars headunits were taken from the cars parked behind too. One more striking thing is they just take the headunits all screws unscrewed are kept neatly for next time use ! seems like the work of a neat and clean mechanic. Some firing these days puts them into these jobs I suppose . Just as you qoute no wind of any hanky panky job to the watchmen around .
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Old 12th June 2011, 16:21   #3
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re: Head Unit Theft, commonplace in Mumbai

Quote:
Originally Posted by quickdraw View Post
This can be deemed a continuation to this thread.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/ask-gu...d-new-one.html

This incident had happened at Yaari Road, Versova. In the below mentioned area.

Attachment 559040

The car was parked right outside the society and a watchman's cabin was at a distance of 5 mts from the vehicle at that time. They stole just the headunit at that time, and I never really liked it and wanted to change it in either case. So I didn't mind it that much. Apart from the fact that Sai Service took horrendously long to get my car fixed and ruined the rear door's central locking in the process. But thats another story al-together. I installed a new head-unit and got an alarm system fit to the car.

The following took place in this area of Juhu JVPD, the car was parked not far from Amitabh Bachahan's House 'Prateeksha'.

Attachment 559039

Here are some pictures of the location of where the car was parked.

Attachment 559034

Here you can see what the watchmen's view is of the car. In-fact there were about a dozen watchmen in total (of all the adjacent buildings within a 20 mt radius of where the car is parked.)

Attachment 559033

And this is what I found when I walked to my car yesterday morning to head to work.

Attachment 559037

Attachment 559035

Attachment 559036

The car was broken into, in plain sight of all the watchmen, the centre console with my expensive head unit had been taken. Not only did no one come to inform me upstairs they didn't even notice it till I brought it up. Also the alarm never went off, this was done in exactly same way as before with a blow to the corner of the front left door.

Attachment 559038

I don't really know what to say no, I'm quite depressed about the fact that my very expensive (not-insured) stereo has been stolen, the alarm never went off. And this is the second time its happened to me in the last 6 months. I saw quite a few other cars were broken into as-well. This is quite a common practice in Bombay as I heard from the cops when I got the FIR done for the same. I usually don't post much, but wanted to share my experiences here on T-BHP, hopefully with this insight some people will be able to avoid similar losses. The alarm system is useless as you can see for something like this where they don't even open the door or cause enough vibration for it to activate.

This is how my car looks like now, and it would take a while to get all of it sorted, apart from the financial loss; Not having a car in this weather is very undesirable.

Attachment 559032
Boss, very simple give one or two tight ones to your security on his face, make big noise for who was on duty that night in front of others who you say totally a dozen of them that night, catch hold of him and thraeten him of taking him to police , he will speak up , thats my experience when similar thing happened in our society few years back.Actually that is the language these guys understand.
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Old 12th June 2011, 17:25   #4
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re: Head Unit Theft, commonplace in Mumbai

Quote:
Originally Posted by quickdraw View Post
This can be deemed a continuation to this thread.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/ask-gu...d-new-one.html

This incident had happened at Yaari Road, Versova. In the below mentioned area.

Attachment 559040

The car was parked right outside the society and a watchman's cabin was at a distance of 5 mts from the vehicle at that time. They stole just the headunit at that time, and I never really liked it and wanted to change it in either case. So I didn't mind it that much. Apart from the fact that Sai Service took horrendously long to get my car fixed and ruined the rear door's central locking in the process. But thats another story al-together. I installed a new head-unit and got an alarm system fit to the car.

The following took place in this area of Juhu JVPD, the car was parked not far from Amitabh Bachahan's House 'Prateeksha'.

Attachment 559039

Here are some pictures of the location of where the car was parked.

Attachment 559034

Here you can see what the watchmen's view is of the car. In-fact there were about a dozen watchmen in total (of all the adjacent buildings within a 20 mt radius of where the car is parked.)

Attachment 559033

And this is what I found when I walked to my car yesterday morning to head to work.

Attachment 559037

Attachment 559035

Attachment 559036

The car was broken into, in plain sight of all the watchmen, the centre console with my expensive head unit had been taken. Not only did no one come to inform me upstairs they didn't even notice it till I brought it up. Also the alarm never went off, this was done in exactly same way as before with a blow to the corner of the front left door.

Attachment 559038

I don't really know what to say no, I'm quite depressed about the fact that my very expensive (not-insured) stereo has been stolen, the alarm never went off. And this is the second time its happened to me in the last 6 months. I saw quite a few other cars were broken into as-well. This is quite a common practice in Bombay as I heard from the cops when I got the FIR done for the same. I usually don't post much, but wanted to share my experiences here on T-BHP, hopefully with this insight some people will be able to avoid similar losses. The alarm system is useless as you can see for something like this where they don't even open the door or cause enough vibration for it to activate.

This is how my car looks like now, and it would take a while to get all of it sorted, apart from the financial loss; Not having a car in this weather is very undesirable.

Attachment 559032
thats very sad.its better to have at least detachable front panel. but i was just wondering he was not interested in steering remote.
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Old 13th June 2011, 10:08   #5
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re: Head Unit Theft, commonplace in Mumbai

Why not just remove the faceplate and take it home along after parking the car? Was it not detachable?
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Old 13th June 2011, 10:24   #6
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re: Head Unit Theft, commonplace in Mumbai

Quote:
Originally Posted by moralfibre View Post
Why not just remove the faceplate and take it home along after parking the car? Was it not detachable?
I don't think it's just about the stereo. The thieves are in for the blower assembly and a/c panels too.

A couple of years ago, a friend had parked his Indica Vista just outside the Dominos on Senapati Bapat rd. When he checked the car the following morning, the car was cleanly broken into and the entire centre console was missing.
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Old 13th June 2011, 10:32   #7
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re: Head Unit Theft, commonplace in Mumbai

Damn, really sorry to hear of your (double) loss! Which security system had you gotten installed? Was it equipped with motion sensors for the interiors? If not, and it was a simpler security system, they don't go off when windows are shattered.

Having an expensive audio system is a liability in Bombay, to be honest. Always have to worry about safe parking spots, especially on nights out.
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Old 13th June 2011, 11:34   #8
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re: Head Unit Theft, commonplace in Mumbai

At least they left the car behind. Some people are not that lucky.

And yeah a good music system is a huge liability in our country. Get over it and get a system that does not attract too much attention.
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Old 13th June 2011, 11:43   #9
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re: Head Unit Theft, commonplace in Mumbai

Are you sure the watchmen are not in onto the thefts? Are there any streetlights which can illuminate the spot where your car is parked?
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Old 13th June 2011, 13:32   #10
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re: Head Unit Theft, commonplace in Mumbai

@quick drive,

Sorry to hear about your loss, I really sympathize with you. I feel somehow the break in must have been known to the security guys.

Do you normally inform these security guys after you have parked you car to just keep an eye? Is the road badly illuminated? I am sure you must have filed a complaint with the police. I think you should now invest in a good car security system even before you think of a good HU.
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Old 17th June 2011, 17:58   #11
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re: Head Unit Theft, commonplace in Mumbai

Quote:
Originally Posted by m-hawk View Post
This gang is quite active these days. I don't know why your glass was shattered in our area Khar west parralel to linking road 4 adjoining buildings,13 cars lost Their headunits in the same night. However this was last year in August rains were lashing Mumbai around those days too . In my car the glass ......
I agree, the exact same thing has happened here. This is commonplace in Mumbai apparently.

Quote:
Originally Posted by IQBAL VEERJI View Post
Boss, very simple give one or two tight ones to your security on his face, make big noise for who was on duty that night in front of others who you say totally a dozen of them that night, catch hold of him and thraeten him of taking him to police , he will speak up , thats my experience when similar thing happened in our society few years back.Actually that is the language these guys understand.
Quote:
Originally Posted by honeybee View Post
Are you sure the watchmen are not in onto the thefts? Are there any streetlights which can illuminate the spot where your car is parked?
The thing is, where I was staying is the company guest house. Cant act that way. I would have beaten him up if it was Pune, or anywhere else. Also the watchmen can clearly deny responsibility since it was not parked within the compound.

Quote:
Originally Posted by procircuit_234 View Post
thats very sad.its better to have at least detachable front panel. but i was just wondering he was not interested in steering remote.
Quote:
Originally Posted by moralfibre View Post
Why not just remove the faceplate and take it home along after parking the car? Was it not detachable?
Nope it was a big touchscreen unit, they dont come with detachable front panel.

Quote:
Originally Posted by libranof1987 View Post
I don't think it's just about the stereo. The thieves are in for the blower assembly and a/c panels too.

A couple of years ago, a friend had parked his Indica Vista just outside the Dominos on Senapati Bapat rd. When he checked the car the following morning, the car was cleanly broken into and the entire centre console was missing.
Not really its just easier to rip it out completely like that. Hence thats what they do, every time.

Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post
Damn, really sorry to hear of your (double) loss! Which security system had you gotten installed? Was it equipped with motion sensors for the interiors? If not, and it was a simpler security system, they don't go off when windows are shattered.

Having an expensive audio system is a liability in Bombay, to be honest. Always have to worry about safe parking spots, especially on nights out.
Glad you read into it, most of the people didn't realize that it was the second time it happened. No sadly it was not equipped with internal motion sensors, I was not aware that there are aftermarket security systems with that capability. I will be insuring the audio system this time around, and would be parking it inside the compound or not taking my personal car altogether.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Spitfire View Post
At least they left the car behind. Some people are not that lucky.

And yeah a good music system is a huge liability in our country. Get over it and get a system that does not attract too much attention.
I honestly wouldn't mind if they took the car, would have bought a new car which comes with a factory fitted stereo in that case (after all the insurance formalities of-course). Also asking to get a cheap system defies the purpose, its like asking someone buying a BMW to buy a Linea since it attracts less attention from thieves.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ghodlur View Post
@quick drive,

Sorry to hear about your loss, I really sympathize with you. I feel somehow the break in must have been known to the security guys.

Do you normally inform these security guys after you have parked you car to just keep an eye? Is the road badly illuminated? I am sure you must have filed a complaint with the police. I think you should now invest in a good car security system even before you think of a good HU.
Its Quickdraw not drive!

I will be getting a good head unit and get it insured, furthermore will not be parking on the road.
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Old 17th June 2011, 19:50   #12
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re: Head Unit Theft, commonplace in Mumbai

Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post

Having an expensive audio system is a liability in Bombay, to be honest. Always have to worry about safe parking spots, especially on nights out.
Expensive audio is a liability in any country i guess. I had mine stolen twice in US. The third time i replaced with an OEM and for peace of mind. The worst part was that the window glass replacement which was more expensive than the stereo itself.

This is one big reason why I always prefer an OEM stereo. Because it is not in as much demand in the after market. Moreover its a big pain to detach the headset and carry with you every time you park the car someplace.
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Old 17th June 2011, 20:16   #13
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re: Head Unit Theft, commonplace in Mumbai

Even if we have motion sensors, does the circuit gets cut off if the thief cuts the wires from side indicators?

This was the modus operandi for most Scorpio/Bolero thefts which has been discussed in other threads.

IMO if we have a security system, we should ensure it does not include side indicators in the circuit.

I think we all should have a fake plain cover which we can fit over existing units so that the thief feels there is no system in the car.

I dont know how it can be done, but the sight of a good system attracts thieves.
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Old 17th June 2011, 23:51   #14
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re: Head Unit Theft, commonplace in Mumbai

There is also a provision in new car security systems to protect the audio system. The HU's ground is connected through the security system - if anybody removes the connection the alarm goes off. My 5 year old Autocop had it. Almost all security systems in the range of 4-5K have interior motion sensor and audio protection - check it.
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Old 18th June 2011, 00:15   #15
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re: Head Unit Theft, commonplace in Mumbai

Quote:
Originally Posted by quickdraw View Post
I honestly wouldn't mind if they took the car, would have bought a new car which comes with a factory fitted stereo in that case (after all the insurance formalities of-course).
Nice!! You do understand that the depreciation on the insured amount would possibly get you 2 such music systems.

Quote:
its like asking someone buying a BMW to buy a Linea since it attracts less attention from thieves.
Yeah very similar to someone who would buy a high end system, not insure it and to top it use a cheap security system and leave it for all to see in a city where the music system thefts are so common the police don't even record them anymore. Oh wait!!!!
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