Professional thieves
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Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,773
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From: On the road in Ohio
Professional thieves
how would you go about stopping them from taking your pride and joy? i'm not asking about alarms, factory or after market. my friends F250 4x4 PSD was stolen along with 2 other's from Belleville Mi. at the Hampton Inn last night.....the cops said they were Pro's... and the trucks have probably been."chopped".So how and what would you do to protect you "baby" while you are on the road for buisness or pleasure....? even staying at nice place's doesnt matter.....
Super Moderator
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 8,547
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From: MA
If they want it bad enough, they WILL take it. I just try and keep as little as possible in it at all times. Thankfully, I live out in the country, so its not an issue. I do get anxious when school starts back up though (school is in the city). So far, no issues.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 283
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From: Bogota, Colombia
Well, that´s nothing...!
Here in Colombia (sadly) we have a different modus operandi. Once the son of a friend of my dad's received 12 bullets at point-blank range from an UZI because he tried to resist the robbery of his brand new chevy blazer (imagine, not even a Ford!!), surprisingly he survived but after long months of therapy. My very brother-in-law received three 38 caliber bullets at close range when the thiefs took his buddy's truck while he was driving it to another city at his request, and he didn't even tried to resist. He's had a bunch of surgeries on his bowels ever since... and the list goes on and on... Now the faddish thing is to remove all 4 wheels while the car is unattended and leave it standing on top of 4 bricks! I have a handful of similar stories... Luckily my Bronco is not a truck the thiefs are interested on here because it's hard to sell even for parts...! I guess we need to use smarter techniques like what I saw once in Boston when someone put a sign that said "no radio" on his windshield glass...
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,437
Likes: 1
From: Hamilton, ohio
its a day that we all live in now. you cant ahve anything nice at all unless you want to guard it. the other day i was at a Mc Donalds and i ahve my show truck with me. a guy pull up and parked next to it. seen he was a little close to my truck and actually got out on the passenger side of the truck. i felt like going over and shaking hands with him. thats something that does not happen very often anymore. the only thing you can do to help preven it is do like i did and get an alarm with a 2 way system that has a pager, and if you are staying in a hotel try to park as close to the room you are staying in as you can. plus i travel with a gun incase something like that was to happen. even if you cant shoot them you can hold them at gun point till the cops come.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 6,940
Likes: 2
From: Eastern WA
I would devise a discrete way to disable the electronics and/or a fuel line shutoff. An alarm that pages you would be worth looking into. Forget the ones that make noise and assume someone else is gonna look and see what's up. We've all heard those 
things for years now and all of the false alarms, and many people (me included) don't even waste time looking anymore. In the end, if the really want it they will get it anyway. Just use a winch and drag it onto a trailer or into a moving van, etc (therefore, a rolling chop shop going down the interstate).
BTW, wouldn't it be nice to hook up a video cam to a silent alarm system and have it transmit images of the thief sitting in the drivers seat or anywhere else that cam was pointed (such as the moving van license plate, color, # of people, etc)? Have the receiver attached to your laptop in your hotel room recording the video. Couple this with GPS on the rig, then call the cops and tell them what is going on with driver description, trailer/moving van description, etc.
things for years now and all of the false alarms, and many people (me included) don't even waste time looking anymore. In the end, if the really want it they will get it anyway. Just use a winch and drag it onto a trailer or into a moving van, etc (therefore, a rolling chop shop going down the interstate).BTW, wouldn't it be nice to hook up a video cam to a silent alarm system and have it transmit images of the thief sitting in the drivers seat or anywhere else that cam was pointed (such as the moving van license plate, color, # of people, etc)? Have the receiver attached to your laptop in your hotel room recording the video. Couple this with GPS on the rig, then call the cops and tell them what is going on with driver description, trailer/moving van description, etc.
Last edited by CowboyBilly9Mile; Aug 26, 2004 at 11:28 PM.
The Pacifier
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,245
Likes: 7
From: Cloverdale, BC
I'm not saying this is the right thing to do, but this is what worked for a friend of mine:
Get a "Support" sticker and put it on your windshield like a parking permit. He never once had a problem with his Mustang or F 350. Or his Impala. Or his Harley. I guess being a Striker didn't hurt either.
Get a "Support" sticker and put it on your windshield like a parking permit. He never once had a problem with his Mustang or F 350. Or his Impala. Or his Harley. I guess being a Striker didn't hurt either.
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Mar 2004
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Ooh, now I get it. Thanks!
Ooo boy, when I get my truck, I'm gonna think of some clever way to protect it the best I can. Gotta think of some sort of integrated starter kill or some very nice alarm or something...
Ooo boy, when I get my truck, I'm gonna think of some clever way to protect it the best I can. Gotta think of some sort of integrated starter kill or some very nice alarm or something...
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 922
Likes: 1
From: san diego
im going to install a fuel pump cutoff switch on my truck. theres a company that has one with a lock and im a smaller guy 5'7 about 130 so i can put it in an area that would be hard for them to temper with and i can still reach.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 18,787
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From: Melbourne, Aus
Being from Australia we have a lot stricter gun laws, so odds on the theif isn't going to be packing heat (one can only hope)
I am a big fan of the FBDITBS alarm system (F...... Big Dog In The Back Seat), never had one of my cars stolen with one of these installed...
I am a big fan of the FBDITBS alarm system (F...... Big Dog In The Back Seat), never had one of my cars stolen with one of these installed...
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,371
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From: just outside of Phila.
Yeah, saw a guy in a Bronco the other day...when he ran in to the store, his mutt jumped up front with the whole "I'm gonna eat your face" growl and look.
ryaneverk2-I know my 88Bronco has the inertia switch in a pretty easy location to reach. It's in case there's an accident, the switch pops and shuts off the fuel...I also use when working on fuel system. It only takes a small flathead to pop it up...also saw a flip-switch built into the Neg. post of a battery's wire. Open the hood, flip the switch and walk away.
Try leaving a dirty old brake and transmission repair manual on the seat, and a note that says "good luck".
ryaneverk2-I know my 88Bronco has the inertia switch in a pretty easy location to reach. It's in case there's an accident, the switch pops and shuts off the fuel...I also use when working on fuel system. It only takes a small flathead to pop it up...also saw a flip-switch built into the Neg. post of a battery's wire. Open the hood, flip the switch and walk away.
Try leaving a dirty old brake and transmission repair manual on the seat, and a note that says "good luck".
Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 11,697
Likes: 3
From: Marengo, Iowa
even little dogs can do some damage, my ex's uncle got a shot in the crotch, needing stitches... He was delivering propane. My Mom"s old dog would have made them think twice, he was maybe 10-15 pounds, but he met you with a growl. Used to tease him a lot, he was sleeping in the car, and I snuck up on him and started barking, boy did that ever get him going....
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,513
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From: La Tech University, La
well the problem is now adays, most cars arent driven away, they are hooked up and towed....saves alot of time just hooking up to the rear axle and driving aay with it, braking the parking brake on the car being stolen. put all the fuel cut-offs you want...it honestly wont help in most situations where the thiefs are serious about what they do. Keep the veh as close to where you sleep as possible. preferable inside a garage or a car-hauler. put on the loudest audable alarm you can find, and also put on a silent alarm that goes to a pager. Invest in a large bore handgun (I carry a .45 loaded with hollowpoints, and get a Lo-Jack installed. The lo-jack wont prevent the vehicle from being stolen, but it will increase the chances of you getting it back, hopefully before to much dmaage has been incurred.