Preventing vehicle theft

ha ha ha! you're right, its the same why when my truck is wrecked, no matter how well its repaired, I just don't want it anymore, same way my ex wife cheated on me and then wanted me back.

 

This is a possibility. Odds are if someone steals a brand new truck, they know what they are doing. Trucks like Tacoma's, Silverado's, and F150's are so popular they are hot on "chop-shop" lists. Sad reality is that usually within 24 hours your truck is already in several different pieces, if not places.
Buddy of mine's dad's F150 was stolen a couple years ago, all they ever found was his plate....on an a different truck with an illegal driving it. It was stolen out of a nice quiet neighborhood. Insurance replaced it.

While I would be pissed if someone stole my truck, I am not going to go out of my way to prevent a theft. I always lock my doors and park in the best place possible. I'm not going to worry about traps/cameras/clubs/kill switches/ etc...

 

Same here. I just lock it up and hope for the best. We just had a taco taken here on this forum a few months ago where the guy was at the movies. I think his was taken with a wrecker. That was a really nice truck too. Not sure if he ever got it back.

I hope if mine does get taken, I hope dont come back, if it does i will trade it.

 

THIS.

 

I was just at a pancake breakfast here and two LITTLE BRO-TARD SHITS stole my TOYOTA receiver hitch cover.

FUCK I HATE THIEVES!

 

x2

A family member had a two week old 4runner stolen. It was found a few weeks later up a 4wd trail in orange county, CA. The thieves got it high centered, tore up the front drive system trying to get out, beat the crap out of the sides of the truck, threw rocks through the windows, fubared the dash trying to get the stereo out of it........you guessed it, insurance fixed it up and he got his truck back. Never really was like a new truck again.

 

GPS is a good idea. The problem with those little chip kill switches is that once you follow the wires back to the factory harness, you just splice the wires back together and drive away. Better to do your own setup and hide the switch well. They can still find it and bypass it, but if you cost them enough time they might give up and leave.

 

I had one of these under the hood in my old truck when I worked down in DC. Worked great for auto theft but you do have to reset some radio stations if its off too long.

Works great, though... and cheap! Some of these are 20/30 bucks.

 

I have never seen any vehicle taken when they used a kill switch. The wires could be spliced but the ones I have installed have five wires, so it is a guessing game as well as too time consuming. If the vehicle can't be taken in under two minutes then they will move on to an easier one like most Dodge, Chrysler, Plymouth or Jeep products.

 

I use Full coverage Auto Insurance. If someone wants it, that's cool... my insurance will cover the replacement cost.

 

again not needed in the new cars.. but its instant trip meter reset in these things. Comes down to the three Ts tools time and talent.
To steal a tacoma without a tow truck, you'll need a new ignition ecu, a transponder to match it, and hot wiring the ignition, as well as any breaking in you need to do. Knocks out just about all 3 of those Ts for anyone but the most skilled and experienced professional thieves or someone that really wants YOUR truck. in which case, they might out to break in to your house and find your spare and steal your truck from work or whatever before you can figure it out. I hear that there are faults with some of the transponder only cars (push button starters) where one can plug a laptop into the car and get it started fairly quickly.

We had people going to the gym on hickam afb around here and stealing keys from the little personal effects cubbies. Go out to the parking lot, click the clicker till they'd see lights flash and drive off. other than motorcycles I haven't personally seen any news or known anyone that has had their car stolen with a tow truck or similar in the US, just see articles warning that it does/can.

 

x2..... take mine... ill buy another one...

 

Can you do a write up of how to wire this thing?

 

didn't you see the movies where someone steals a car, and they pull the wires out from under the dash and they make it look soooo easy

 

I agree, I hate thieves too, but you know whats sad? That kid that robbed your hitch will take it home and his mommy and daddy will see it and they won't say nothing!
A good responsible parent will ask their child where did they get that hitch, and figure out they robbed it and punish the child.

 

Only if the vehicle is not located in 30 days.

 

gotta admit, the advice is worth what you paid for it

 

Plugging in laptops is another one of those urban myths. The laptop they stole the day before they took to the pawn shop. Most of the car thiefs can't even type. Tow truck theft is very common here in the DC area and is the only way to take the high end vehicles if you don't have a key. Any of these systems can be defeated with time and money, but it is not worth the effort unless it is a Mercedes, Lexus, Infinity, BMW etc. The increase in carjackings started when transponders came around in 1999-2000 because the they needed a key to take the car. There is no such thing as hot wiring an ignition any more except on commercial trucks and some 1970-80's vehicles. You need to mechanically defeat the ignition in order to unlock the steering, and electrically defeat the transponder. It is possible to do both, but not in your driveway, the mall parking lot, or while you are in a restaurant or movie. It would take several hours, and more than 1K in parts, and the knowledge. We had a BMW taken here, (not mine), it was towed, (video surveillance), and then the vehicle was hidden, new ignition, key, transponder, and revinned and then sold to an unsuspecting buyer who thought they got a 30000. vehicle for 20000. Great deal until he took it to Arlington BMW to have the oil changed and they check the VIN from the ECU and it did not match the windshield VIN. The police were called and the new owners vehicle was impounded and he was out 20000. This is a very rare occurance and involves a sophisticated, educated perp with mechanical and electrical skills which is like finding a viable presidential candidate that did not graduate high school. Like Island808 said, they will just take your keys. Up here they will drive it until it is out of gas and go find another of the same vehicle, and they are not transponder vehicles they are taking. Chrysler Town and Country, Dodge Intrepid, Jeep Liberty, Dodge Stratus, and the GMC/Chevy products with the MRD ignition are the most commonly stolen here. We have had one Tacoma taken in all of 2010 and without question a tow truck was used as the owner had all of the keys.

 

I just thought of something for the truly paranoid.

Leave the car in 4wd in gear with the parking brake on when parked. If they're stealing it with a tow truck they'll have a hard time. They'll likely break your truck, but not steal it, or at least very far.

I assume these fancy girly auto 4x4s will stay engaged with the ignition off.

As for the laptop, I was reading that there were at least 1 or 2 cars where it was actually a noted problem. Thought it was from a reputable source, but who knows where they got their info. Anyone that bothers to live in DC expects crime on a daily basis and should be ready for it. I think I'd feel more comfortable in Juarez. That's a metropolitan area in need of some no nonsense governing. What other city would elect Marion Barry much less revere him. Its like they revel in their own filth. Probably rubbing off from the federal employees.