Someone broke into my truck. Stuck a screwdriver in the lock and twisted the handle off. Rummaged the truck but never stole a thing. Idiots! Funny part is that I had a bed full of tools but they must not have realized I had an actuator installed in the tailgate lock and could have gotten in just by pressing the unlock button one more time. Anyway, ridiculous that these trucks are so easy to break into!! JC

 

That is truly terrible news. I just started a "security" thread a few days ago. Let's put our heads together and come up with a solid alarm or security device solution!

 

It's a simple fact of life that there are lowlifes running around who will take even stuff that is bolted down. My '01 dually pickup was parked outside because it didn't fit into the garage. One night some lowlifes came by with a screwdriver and pried out the door handle on the drivers side rear door, got entry and rifled through stuff. They didn't find anything of value but cost me a few hundred dollars replacing the door handle and repairing the damage done by the scumbags screwdriver.
Another time, same truck, came out in the morning and the chrome step rails were gone.
Best security method, lock the truck up in a garage at night. I moved and one of the criteria was that the new place have a garage large enough to lock up my cars and trucks.
You're going to look long and hard finding a security system which will deter the scumbags out there. Unfortunately, we can't install force-fields on our trucks yet and it's illegal to electrify it with high voltage. :-(

 

look into a product called jimmy jammer

 

Does jimmi jammer prevent someone from prying out your entire door handle?

 

it makes it a lot harder. nothing is theft proof, the gola is to just make them pass for an easer target.

 

I guess I just don't see the jimmi jammers as being of much value, it prevents punching the lock but it's just far too easy to simply pry off the door handle as they did to my truck. If there were a way to reinforce the door handle to prevent them from the pry attack, they just break out a window. I can't tell you the number of times I saw neighbors cars broken into with the door window smashed. Then there is always the pry open the sliding rear window attack.
It's probably cheaper to just leave the truck unlocked and not keep anything of value inside. Of course, there's always the idiot that decides your nav/radio is of value to them so they totally F up your dash.
Even if you could make it totally break-in proof, then the little weasels would probably key the side of your truck and slash the tires for vengence. It sucks but it's our reality.

 

Locks, alarms, etc only keep honest people honest. If someone wants in...they're getting in. Save your money and buy some diesel.

 

That really depends on where you live and where you park. The bright blink of an aftermarket alarm system parked in a nice quiet residential neighborhood can send the thief walking since they will attract attention. It won't help much at the shopping mall where everyone is busy and doesn't care about anyone else.

 

The Jimmi' Jammer does more than just making the lock cylinder harder to punch. It reinforces the whole bottom of the latch assembly and makes it harder to get to the latch actuator rod, and to do the pry method in general--under the latch assembly, alongside the door handle, etc.

Nothing is perfect, even alarm systems (more about that below). The object is as Cheezit said--to make your truck a little more difficult to break into than the next one down the line. Pretty much the same holds true for all kinds of security systems everywhere--car, truck, home, office--they're theft deterrents, they don't make things theft proof.

I've had paging alarm systems on my previous two trucks. The first was a Clifford. We--both I and the dealer--never could get it adjusted sufficiently to be sensitive enough to tampering or break-in without also causing multiple false alarms. Ultimately, as set, the truck got broken into without setting off the alarm (broken window). Part of that was my fault--I left something valuable visible on the front seat, because I was in a hurry and was only going to be gone for a few minutes. That's all it took. It was a reasonably good neighborhood and well-lighted area too.

The second system on the last truck wasn't Clifford. I can't remember what it was, but the pager/remote battery had the lifespan of a mayfly (i.e., really short). It was most effective at locking ME out of the truck three times, which necessitated using the keypad, thereby setting off the alarm and engine disabling feature, then blindly fumbling under the dash for the "secret" reset button.

All that said, I still liked having the paging feature, and I'm certainly not saying aftermarket alarms are a bad thing, just relating my experiences with them. I don't think they're the only thing one should depend on.


Joe, realizing some of the above comments apply to the other concurrent security thread.

 

Yeah that sucks! A friend of mine was out 4 wheeling at a big trail system, came back later in the day and his was the last vehicle. They busted his window and stole the half carton of cigarettes laying on his seat. Didn't steal the nice radio, any tools or his trailer; just punks after a smoke and it cost my friend over a couple hundred bucks.

 

Not only are they scum, but some of them really stupid. I was at a restaurant in San Antonio and during dinner someone smashed the rear drivers side window and stole a small bag I had left in the back. ( this restaurant even had a security guy patrolling the parking lot !!) That evening I parked the truck at the motel right near the the office window, anyhoo some ******* tried to break into the truck by prying the lock on the drivers side front door! Twice in one night, I couldn't believe it ! Especially the second, all he had to do was lean in through the window and open the door !

 

About a year ago my truck was key punched and I posted my annoyance here as well. My complaint? A truck that listed for $64,000 was broken into by a degenerate in two seconds. Some of the responses were that's the way it is. This has been an issue with the SuperDuty going back to at least 1999 and no one has bothered to fix it (outside of Jimmi Jammers and I recommend it). Because they dented my door, there was over $500 of damage because, well, that's the way they make these trucks. Bull. How about the auto manufacturers spend some money and come up with a better system? Sure, no matter what you do, someone will find a way around it and break a window but thieves don't want to attract attention. My truck was in a line of other vehicles but because someone knew how to get in it quickly, they picked it. A screwdriver and bam! they were in. My alarm chased them off before they got much but the damage was already done then.

My shop is set up with a high decibel alarm system that, um, is sort of loud. As Mr. T would say, I pity the fool.... I have thought about doing that on my truck too.

 

How about you or someone else innovate and create this "better system" you speak of? That's called an opportunity! No one stops from buying an SD due to it being easy to break in to so Ford has no incentive to fix what they don't see as an issue.

Lots of people install pain generators in their vehicles. I don't know if they deter anyone, but they are loud!

 

I had a toyota that I locked the keys in. I used a plastic spork to remove the back glass to gain access took less then 1min. nothing will stop a theif that wants it bad enugh.