I have been reading all the threads about how easy it is to steal a SD. Some have recommended changing the door handles to the ones without a key hole. others recommend jimmy jammers.

Well I was thinking, Why not just install the plastic chrome door handle covers and use only the ones without door locks? The thief will think it doesn't have a lock and hopefully bypass your vehicle. Also if you ever need to get into the vehicle, because the keyless entry doesn't work you can always rip it off to get at the key, then replace it.

You still may benefit from the Jimmy jammers though, just in case.

 

You have to face it; if a thief wants it, IT'S GONE!

I've just come to the realization that I'd rather not have the truck BROKEN into. I try not to keep anything of value in it and, screw it, leave the door unlocked. At least I don't have to worry about the hassel of my door handles or windows getting smashed.

What are they gonna do, steal my floor mats?

Besides, most folks insurance premiums are more than the cost of the door handle.

Yeah, yeah, I know the option sucks, but what are ya gonna do? Stand by your truck like Ft Knox 24/7.

 

Thats what I do, screw security they're gonna get into it, just pray they don't think you have anything worthy of havin, the only thing that pissed me off was once in high school they got into my engine compartment and took the nuts off of my air cleaner and put em in the carb....it doesn't run so well that way......(if ya wanna find somthin hard to secure try owning a soft top jeep w/ windows that unzip from the outside haha)

 

Hey Purdue you bring back bad memories. Had a old 78 CJ7 Renegade with them soft top and doors, and about the only thing I had in there to take, they took. It was the doors.

 

I have a 79, 91, and 99 ALL SOFTTOPS....I try to keep nothin in em haha

 

Yup, the wifes Rubicon is a pain. Can't leave anything in it. Hell, they even stole her Auburn Parking Permit off the mirror.

 

I had my parking permit stolen too at purdue.....funny thing is they crawled over my 12 in subs to get to it haha

 

That's true, because your door handles and windows will be attached to your truck, which will be out on a joyride, at the local chop shop, or in my neck of the desert, being used to run drugs across the border. Not every vehicle that is messed with is a burglary, many are flat-out car thefts, and most are opportunistic. Meaning they found that one vehicle that has no security system and the owner didn't even bother to lock the doors. I agree that leaving valuables in plain sight is asking for a thief to break-in, but leaving the doors unlocked, come on. In talking to the local police and researching the issue, I have come across some common threads that link car thief's. The vast majority of car burglars/thief's are not the sophisticated "Gone in 60 Seconds," professional that has taken the time to study security systems and vehicles, or flat bed trucks hauling your car off. They're run of the mill morons that only know one way to break into and steal a vehicle. They don't have the know how, or technology to bypass a properly installed security system, hence the rise in carjackings. Most will bypass a vehicle with locked doors and a security system in favor of a vehicle that doesn't have either. You really have to have something the thief wants for them to risk setting off a security system, high-end video/audio system, etc. And not to burst anyone's bubble, but we drive superduty's, not high-end luxury cars that attract the attention of sophisticated thieves. So basically all we're trying to do is prevent two types of thieves from getting our truck or stuff. The low-end, bottom feeding, smash and grab thief(don't leave anything worth stealing in plain sight, and lock your doors). And the scumbag chop shop/joyriding thieves(lock your doors, get a good two-way security system with ignition/starter disable properly installed, and with SD's, Jimmi Jammer's for the doors). These simple steps have been shown to prevent the vast majority of car break-ins and theft. So you can leave your doors unlocked if you want, but basically all your doing is taking one for the team, because you've made yourself the "easier" target. If you have a Jeep, Tuffy makes some great lockable metal storage boxes for your valuables.

 

Enviro makes a number of very good points in my opinion.

One other worthwhile defense, and I haven't done it yet, is some sort of GPS or locating device to combat the thief who wants the whole truck. I was listening to my police scanner a couple of nights ago (interesting Christmas present I received this year) and they had a call to track a stolen Superduty towing a Bobcat loader. The owner had some sort of GPS tracking system on the truck or the Bobcat or both. Houston Police hopped right on that one and tracked it down pretty quickly. I supect the Police would have been less reactve if they did not have the owner providing them with continuous updates as to the location. It makes your call a low hanging fruit for the cops.

 

I heard from a friend that their neighbor had a car stolen and it at a LoJack system, but the cops didn't find it until 3 hours later and it was picked clean.
The police told them that the theives use a lead blanket to cover the car and that blocks the signal from being picked up. Not sure if this is true, but it sounds feasable. Anything thransmitted via airwaves can be interupted.

 

Exactly, I drive a truck! And I would much rather pay my deductable to a total loss on the truck, than I would for a smashed door lock. Plus the expense of the alarm, or the Lo-Jack, or the jimmy jammers and all that stuff.

I know all the things you CAN do to prevent access to your stuff, it's part of what I do, but, IS IT REALLY WORTH IT? How many times have you heard a car alarm go off and just said, "Damn it that gets annoying!" You know why, because everybody and their brother has one and people rarely pay attention to them. Besides the fact that 15 seconds after they get in, that alarm is turned off.

If I was that worried about it, I'd drive an armored car and have my own Personal Security Detail, live behind a fence and have security cameras all over the place. But I don't and I won't. I'd rather spend my time and effort in making sure I don't put myself in a situation that allows my stuff to be easily taken.

It's pretty simple though. It's your stuff, it's your money and it's your decision on how much time, effort and money you are gonna spend on it. I'd rather have my little $250 deductable and no charge glass coverage and be done with it.

Everybody has their methods.

 

My point isn't to tell anyone what they have to do. Of course it's your choice. My point is that more and more our trucks are being targeted because of the simplicity with which they can be broken into and stolen. But with a few simple precautions you can dramatically reduce the likelihood of that occurring. And just for clarification, alarms these days are more than just the noise makers they used to be. I mentioned a two-way system because they page your keyfob when the system is triggered, directly alerting the only person who really cares, that something is going on. Because your right, so many people have alarms that are constantly falsely triggering and sound the same, that nobody pays attention anymore. And since it's that time, a big Happy New Year to all.

 

Right, the two-ways are great! Those I like and am getting one when I get home, mostly because tof the remote start, but the two-way is nice.

I just hate the fact that we resort to all this stuff, for the sake of keeping some little scum bag out of the property that we all work hard for.

I won't even get into my PREFERRED method of security, but that is a whole different story. Hehehe!

Happy New Year back to ya!

BFR

 

Most of the cars stolen are cars without an alarm. If I wanted to keep em out an alarm and a hidden kill switch to the fuel pump would be what Id do.

 

You should at least lock your doors as your insurance company can deny your claim. That happen to a friend of mine who did not believe in locking his doors and his vehicle was vandalized on the inside. His insurance company denied his claim stating that he did not take the minimum precautions in protecting his property. The same thing happened to some homeowners who did not believe in locking their homes in a small college town next to me and had things stolen. Their claims were denied for the same reason. Just something to be aware of.