auto theft

[jeanontheroad]

I have been reading more about auto theft in the news. Maybe the papers have just run out of stories now that the election is over and are back to the crime beat. We don't worry about our car much. No self respecting thief is going to take a Ford Fiesta with a stick shift. Most of them won't be able to drive it, anyway. But if we had a more vulnerable car, we would consider installing a fuel shut off valve. Thieves might be able to hot wire a vehicle, but they won't waste a lot of time hunting for the reason they can't get it started.

 

[MikeRuth]

On a personal note, When I went camping a lot, long time ago, I had installed a ignition break switch in my Toyota Pickup truck.
When we would leave the truck the HIDDEN switch was flipped and there was no way you were going to drive off.
Can't tell you how many times I forgot to put it back in the run position LOL>

I'm thinking about this now for my Ford 2007 E-150.

 

[jeanontheroad]

Yes. When DH had his first Corvette, he had shut off switch that he occasionally forgot to turn back on. There was that moment before he remembered.

A secondary switch on the fuel pump is what he would recommend for newer model cars. Thieves want a quick grab. They don't want to putter around when they might be caught any minute.

 

[GrayWhale]

I wouldn't want to be messing around with the fuel lines, by making a cut in it and then tie it back up with some valve and therefore have an additional weak spot. Easier would be to splice in a switch to the fuel pump relay, which often times is right under the driver's seat. 10x easier with no chance of a fuel leak to set your car on fire.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

In addition to adding a hidden switch to the electric fuel pump wires, you can do the same thing to the neutral safety switch wires as well.

Regards
John

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Hiding switches in plain sight . . .

Somewhere near your radio, drill a small hole and mount one of those female sockets ( RCA ? ) that you would ordinarily plug headphones into. Wire your fuel pump or neutral safety switch to it. Get a male plug and jump between the internal connections with a bit of wire. When plugged into the socket, it completes the circuit and the car works. When you get out of the car, take the plug with you.

Use one of those magnetic switches that are normally used in alarm systems. Mount it behind the dashboard. Put a magnet over it when you want the car to run, move the magnet somewhere else when you don't.

Regards
John

 

[LeeRevell]

Just don't put the magnet in the same pocket as your wallet. Credit and ID cards have magnetic strips that the magnet can wipe.

 

[Ballenxj]

In addition to adding a hidden switch to the electric fuel pump wires, you can do the same thing to the neutral safety switch wires as well.

DANG! The neutral safety switch? BRILLIANT! I wish I had thought of that back in the day.

 

[wagoneer]

Hey where is caseyc?? I bet he has more than one . Calling Mr. Gadget

 

[Canine]

With my '78 Ford, I've been thinking a lot about that. They are super easy to steal.

 

[highdesertranger]

yeah those old fords are real easy to hot wire. in fact I would say the easiest by far. highdesertranger

 

[66788]

What's worse than having your van broken into and ransacked? Someone driving off with the whole rig.

Kill switches are great, as well as visible deterrents like the Club or a brake pedal lock.

As an automotive locksmith, I can say that Chrysler and Ford pre transponder vans are very easy to steal.

 

[MikeRuth]

I was just thinking about what 66788 said, and I'm thinking and or hoping that if you used a club on the steering wheel, maybe just maybe a thief would just move on to another vehicle.

 

[Canine]

I hate to disagree on the Club, but it is ineffective. Steering wheels are designed to be weak and collapse so if a person is in a wreck, the steering wheel will collapse and absorb some of the energy of the driver smashing into it. It takes a hacksaw about 3 seconds to saw through a steering wheel to remove The Club. Then the vehicle is still easily steerable.

 

[MikeRuth]

Well there goes that theory

 

[cdiggy]

I agree with canine. Those things look good but the pro thief will have it off in under 30 seconds.

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Maybe the best deterrent would be stickers saying the vehicle is low jacked or has tracking hardware installed.

 

[christine]

Let's say you see a van with a club parked next to a van without a club. All other things being equal, wouldn't a thief be more attracted to the van without the club?

What do you guys think of wheel immobilizer boots? Or the steering wheel Disklok? (it looks like a frisbee over the steering wheel, with a club attached to the side)

Thanks for the fuel pump switch idea, I think I'll install one of those... if I can figure out which wire it is. I really dig that magnet idea--that's a whole other level of thinking right there.

 

[Canine]

Let's say you see a van with a club parked next to a van without a club. All other things being equal, wouldn't a thief be more attracted to the van without the club?

If the thieves knew about The Club and how little of a deterrent it was, they might actually turn to the van with The Club because the owner of the van probably felt it was safe and secure and didn't bother to use additional security measures that were real security measures that actually worked.

If I were a thief and saw the scenario you described, The Club wouldn't sway me at all because it offers no protection. If I were ignorant and thought The Club provided protection, then of course I would find another target. The Club provides a false sense of security.

Most any other method of protecting your vehicle from theft will be a better use of money, time, and resources.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

how to spot a car thief ??
he is the one walking around with a hacksaw dangling from his belt,

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

how to spot a car thief ??
he is the one walking around with a hacksaw dangling from his belt,

Don't be silly. A hacksaw is WAY too much hard work for a thief. These days they'll use a battery powered saw with a diamond blade in it.

Regards
John