My Swift almost stolen from IHC basement parking: Here's what saved me

When I was walking towards my car I noticed that the hazard lights were blinking and the driver's door was ajar.

BHPian kushagra452 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I believe, that yesterday (07 Aug) there was an attempt to steal my Swift VXi AMT from the basement parking lot of the India Habitat Centre - which is a popular convention center located in the heart of the city!

I had parked my car in the basement parking after taking the parking slip at the point of entry. After enjoying my afternoon coffee with a friend when I was walking over to my car I noticed that the hazard lights were blinking and the driver's door was ajar. I immediately realized that there was an attempt to break in and drive away with the vehicle. I informed the private guards who were of not much help. I believe that the only reason the car was not stolen was that I was carrying the parking slip - without which exiting the premises is not possible.

This incident was shocking. It's worth mentioning that this break-in attempt happened around 3pm-4pm in the basement parking lot of a popular convention center located merely 3 kms-4 kms from the Prime Minister's residence!

Since then, I have been searching for ways to secure my Swift VXi AMT. I have asked two local shops for a gear lock. However, both have told me that it's not possible to get a gear lock installed in the Swift AMT. Is this true? If yes, what other devices can prove to be effective deterrents for thieves?

Thank you very much.

Here's what GTO had to say about the matter:

Thanks for the reminder! I usually park the slip on the sunvisor. Will keep it on me, going forward.

At some places, valet parking is safer as they guard their vehicles fiercely, have a dedicated area to themselves & outsiders aren't allowed in.

Here's what BHPian audioholic had to say about the matter:

If you are parking in a fishy location then just remove the fuse for the AMT Pump. We will see which thief can have a workaround for this one. Of course, if you try to start the car without this fuse it will not start and throw up a DTC with the Check engine light on. But as long as you put it back before starting the car, it will be alright.

Here's what BHPian Sidjohri had to say about the matter:

Sorry to hear about your ordeal. I'm a frequent visitor to IHC and usually park my car in the basement without any worries. From now on I'll surely keep your experience in mind while parking my car there.

Note: you might wish to check with the security in charge at IHC for any CCTV coverage they might have with them.

Here's what BHPian PearlJam had to say about the matter:

The Maruti Swift (all variants as per their website) seems to come fitted with an engine immobilizer.

So are you sure that the parking slip is the reason that they couldn't steal your vehicle? Is it possible that the thieves were novices, and realized that the car wouldn't start unless they have the original key? Or probably, they were scared when the hazard light started blinking and just scooted?

It seems like the parking slip saving the day, seems like a very small probability. I am sure that the exit gate would hardly give a second thought if you said that you lost it.

Sorry, a lot of details are missing from the original post, so I'm forced to speculate!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.