THEFT PREVENTION TIPS

[Ghoste]

Based on what just happened to 70 CHARGER RT ( http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,57954.0.html  ) , I thought I would throw this topic up so that anyone who has any tips on preventing car theft could post them up.  I know he isn't the first among us to go through this and he won't be the last but if this stops just one car from going missing, then...
I'm starting with some that Steve P. posted in the other thread.  (that's a form of car theft right there isn't it?)

Remove the rotor from the distributor.

Remove the coil from the HEI.  This became putting a dead coil in an old cap that he puts on when it goes to storage.

Install a fuel shut off valve back near the pick up and shut it off when stored.

Remove the battery.

Remove the tags.

[Silver R/T]

Remove wheels

[moparnole]

Hmmmmmm.... you could probably pull the motor/tranny out when you get done driving it, then take the wheels with you, after that the car would be pretty hard to move, but not hard enough, so you would hire Kareem Abdul Jabar to stand watch along side Mr.T, both of them armed with .500 magnums, and 70, maybe 80 grenades a peice. But if they happen to get by Kareem and Mr.T, then it would be pretty easey to take the car....until they realize that the car is also guarded by a level 99 Charzard(yes I know ...pokemon went away in the 90's, but so did Mr.T) which I am sure we all know is pretty much unbeatable, especially with help from Nessie ( lochness Monster) and Sasquatch himself, in wich case they would run away into thier Honda Civic and drive off so fast that they would hit a tree and be killed to death.
Or I heard security cameras work fine too.

[RECHRGD]

Hidden cut off switch in series with the neutral safety switch.

[Khyron]

Hidden cut off switch in series with the neutral safety switch.

naa, took me 2 min to buypass that when mine went bad I just have to remember not to turn the key in gear

ummm, I say..... umm..... scatter empty shot gun shells on the dash and dump fake blood by the driver door

[68charger383]

My favorite anti-theft measure is to take the steering wheel off.

[mopar_nut_440_6]

I was going to look into a biometric switch for mine. I am sure I could make something work.

But I think a hidden switch for the ignition feed possibly remote controlled would work well. I have also put a dead coil wire in place in the past.

Oh and I also have a very large dog which keeps people away!

[mauve66]

coil to distributor wire with the metal contacts cut out, everything looks normal but wont start, could still be towed though

[Tilar]

Didn't someone on this board mention one time of using a "Brake Lock"? No idea what it was but it sounded similar to a line lock.

[Marck]

Hmmmmmm.... you could probably pull the motor/tranny out when you get done driving it, then take the wheels with you, after that the car would be pretty hard to move, but not hard enough, so you would hire Kareem Abdul Jabar to stand watch along side Mr.T, both of them armed with .500 magnums, and 70, maybe 80 grenades a peice. But if they happen to get by Kareem and Mr.T, then it would be pretty easey to take the car....until they realize that the car is also guarded by a level 99 Charzard(yes I know ...pokemon went away in the 90's, but so did Mr.T) which I am sure we all know is pretty much unbeatable, especially with help from Nessie ( lochness Monster) and Sasquatch himself, in wich case they would run away into thier Honda Civic and drive off so fast that they would hit a tree and be killed to death.
Or I heard security cameras work fine too.

For storage I plan to take the wheels and steeringwheel off..

[b5blue]

I've got hood locks instead of hood pins, a battery cut off on the battery,a kill switch for the ignition and a (talking) alarm system. Can you tell I've had 2 other cars stolen? (nothing will stop a thief with a tow truck)

[tan top]

call me paranoid but  don't think its a good idea to  discuss on a public form what security devices you have fitted to your car !!  never know whos reading ! 

[Ghoste]

A fair point but I would also think that any thief who's going to the trouble to look for a thread like this to get his own tips is probably a better than average one and those are the guys who aren't likely to be deterred or denied.  The typical "joy ride" thief is more the one who would be slowed by this kind of stuff and I can't see them putting much research into it.
Your point is well taken though.

[tan top]

A fair point but I would also think that any thief who's going to the trouble to look for a thread like this to get his own tips is probably a better than average one and those are the guys who aren't likely to be deterred or denied.  The typical "joy ride" thief is more the one who would be slowed by this kind of stuff and I can't see them putting much research into it.
Your point is well taken though.

yeah thats true Also Ghoste    ... joy riders ..the more  stuff you put in their way .... thats going to slow them down  .... 

[elanmars]

I would need tips for a car that wouldn't be storaged but driven quite a bit!

what to do, any tricks, locks, what alarm systems to get, etc.

[A383Wing]

I would need tips for a car that wouldn't be storaged but driven quite a bit!

what to do, any tricks, locks, what alarm systems to get, etc.

On the Daytona, I just used a toggle switch hidden under the dash..one terminal goes to the tach lead or "-" side of the coil, the other terminal of the toggle switch just goes to ground. With switch on, car will never start because coil is grounded through the switch. Total cost is around $5

[mopar_nut_440_6]

This is what I was talking about.

http://www.alibaba.com/product-free/101053596/Fingerprint_Car_Security_Alarm_System_Anti.html

[FLG]

The only way i see of stopping a theif with a tow truck is to have some metal loops installed on your floor and chain the damn thing.

[mauve66]

here's some more biometric links

http://fingerprintcaralarm.com/fingerprintcaralarm/index.html

http://www.justbiometrics.com/sid-vehicles.html

http://www.gooddeals18.com/product/SHKFPC110/Universal_Car_Finger_Print_Car_Security_System_engine.html   half the price of others but i didn't look at features

http://www.hksupremetech.com/products.htm

[Todd Wilson]

A high end car thief is gonna be hard to stop unless you have some physical barriers in the way.  If they are watching and you leave it in the mall parking lot while you go shop its gone.

Most joy riders are idiots at best. Will look for a fast way to start and nothing more. Something simple.  My N safety switch is bad on my 71. I have a test lead alligator clipped on the solenoid to bypass it to it will start. I could simply take this off and walk away and it wont start. I like the rotor idea but a pain and or messy to pope the hood and take the dist off and then carry it around.

The other ideas are good too. Something simple and hidden in plain view would be the best.


Todd

[1BAD68]

I'm more nervous about an unmarked tow truck, I've been seeing more of them lately probably repo men due to the economy.
Those guys can take your car away very quietly in about two minutes.
The only thing you could do is install a very loud and annoying alarm, that way when you come out of the store or wherever there will be plenty of witnesses.
When I'm not driving mine, its in a locked garage. So preventing someone from taking it while its sitting out in the open for an hour or so is my concern.

[Brock Samson]

 well they actually have it down to 8 seconds with the newest computer and laser guided trucks the operator doesn't even have to leave the cab...
read this:
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/high_performance/features_classic_cars/state_of_the_repo_art_the_jerr_dan_element_feature


    THE ELEMENT

""The Element is so awesome at grabbing cars," says Saffelle, "that I know of an impound company in Virginia that has had five of them stolen. Pro thieves will use it for three or four days, grabbing high-end cars like Benzes, then they'll dump it somewhere before it gets too hot." Hours before C/D arrived in Tampa, in fact, a thief broke into the Element that was to be our demonstrator."
   

some years ago my Chargers painter related a story about his buddies new Porche Turbo, they took off on a spur of the moment road trip to So Cal. and once there stopped at a store so the owner could buy a new shirt,.. they came out to find skid marks where the Turbo had been simply dragged up the ramp onto a transporter though parked directly infront of the store,.. they never heard a thing and were less then 50 feet from the car.

[Chad L. Magee]

I have thought about this subject for some time.  Unfortunately (short of illegal chemical/biological weapon usage), a knowledgeable thief would steal most protected cars in due time.  But, that does not mean that you can be totally defenseless if it does happen.  One of my potential ideas is a system of hidden cameras/recorders installed that could upload the current information to a internet website via satellite connection.  It is different than a Lowjack system, as you can witness real-time data to catch the crooks other than just location of the car.  Even if they just tow it away, the system could be activated by means of vehicle movement (wheels being turned or dragged would be enough to set it off) and the information would start uploading.  Granted, there would be bugs to work out (bad weather reception being one of them), but if done correctly, you could literally sit back and watch them on your computer get busted by the police from the details that you provide.  The data could be preserved on a dedicated server for use in court against said thieves (much like a video recorder does in a gas station).  Some police stings on car thieves have similar setups, but with a simple camcorder doing the recording for evidence, so the potential is there.  Probably not cheap to develop/market, but on a high end car it would be worth having it on.....     

[jb666]

My garage has motion sensors that are wired into my house alarm.. It'll notify me if anything moves in there.

I also have a camera system pointing (and recording motion) to my driveway and the face of the garage.

If those measures fail and someone still gets in they'd best pray they are faster than my .45 can fire, cause they aren't making it out of my driveway.

[Todd Wilson]

I have thought about this subject for some time.  Unfortunately (short of illegal chemical/biological weapon usage), a knowledgeable thief would steal most protected cars in due time.  But, that does not mean that you can be totally defenseless if it does happen.  One of my potential ideas is a system of hidden cameras/recorders installed that could upload the current information to a internet website via satellite connection.  It is different than a Lowjack system, as you can witness real-time data to catch the crooks other than just location of the car.  Even if they just tow it away, the system could be activated by means of vehicle movement (wheels being turned or dragged would be enough to set it off) and the information would start uploading.  Granted, there would be bugs to work out (bad weather reception being one of them), but if done correctly, you could literally sit back and watch them on your computer get busted by the police from the details that you provide.  The data could be preserved on a dedicated server for use in court against said thieves (much like a video recorder does in a gas station).  Some police stings on car thieves have similar setups, but with a simple camcorder doing the recording for evidence, so the potential is there.  Probably not cheap to develop/market, but on a high end car it would be worth having it on.....     

Thats a good idea. Add to it a GPS system or something similair to OnStar  and you would know where your car is.


Todd

[Todd Wilson]

One of the biggest things you can do at your house to protect is to secure your keys to vehicles.   Extra sets in the office desk drawer   or special sets of keys hanging on a seperate hook for something.   They break into your house to rip you off and see the keys and decide to take the classic car also!

I have heard of people having a lock box of some kind to keep that stuff in. Like the little boxes in hotel rooms you can put your stuff in and then punch in a code to lock it.


Todd

[Todd Wilson]

We had a guy here in Kansas get his 68 Charger ripped off a few years ago. He pulled into his place of business One evening. Just stopping by. Ran in to grab something. Was inside for 5 minutes and came out and his Charger was gone. Didnt leave it running either.   Called the cops and they come out and did the paper work deal and that was basically the end of it. He had no cooperation from them. They didnt really seem concerned. Their response was take it up with your insurance. They didnt put out a radio notice that a bright orange 68 Charger was just ripped off be on the look out for it. It simply was an automobile that was ripped off. Same as the other 20 Honda's and Toyotas that got ripped that day.That was the end of it. That car would have stuck out bad in todays traffic and chances are a cop saw the car only minutes after it had been ripped off.

He printed up flyers of his car. Sent them to all law enforement centers in about every town in a 4-5 state area. He took out a big ad in the newspaper.  Many days later a guy was delivering newspapers on a driving route in the middle of the night and see the 68 sitting on the side of the road. Remembered the newspaper ad a few days before and called the cops. It had a bad gas gauge and the thieves had run out of gas. He got the car back.


Todd

[1BAD68]

Thats why a loud alarm is about all you can do.
Thieves want to be discreet and unnoticed, an alarm wont stop every theif but most of them will run when the thing is going off.
But it needs to be a different noise, how many times do you hear a car alarm go off and dont even bother to look out your window?
Something like "HELP CALL 911!!" in a loud shrilly womans voice over and over

[Green71R/T]

As a tow truck driver one thing that really slows me down is to crank the wheel all the way to one side and lock it with a club or the steering lock.

[FLG]

How about getting those posts that come up from the ground? Im sure a pair of those behind the charger when its in the garage should be a big enough deterrent.

[mikesbbody]

My garage has motion sensors that are wired into my house alarm.. It'll notify me if anything moves in there.

I also have a camera system pointing (and recording motion) to my driveway and the face of the garage.

If those measures fail and someone still gets in they'd best pray they are faster than my .45 can fire, cause they aren't making it out of my driveway.

Sometimes the like's of a .45 are the only thing  proffesional scumbags theives understand  if their dumb enough to risk getting shot-killed then I dont know what will stop them.

[Ghoste]

As a tow truck driver one thing that really slows me down is to crank the wheel all the way to one side and lock it with a club or the steering lock.

That's because you aren't a thief.    I don't if it's true but i have heard that some thieves take vehicles with the club installed on purpose just for bragging rights.  A pair of bolt cutters to the steering wheel and the club is useless.  But that cold be urban myth for all I know.

[aussiemuscle]

Seen it on TV, those wheel locking clubs last about 3 seconds to a determined thief. still everything you can do to make it harder the better.

my brother had his charger stolen, but they ran out of gas too. they couldnt' scam the money out of their mother and she called it in.

[Green71R/T]

Security is about layers. The more obsticles you put in front of the thief ,the longer it will take him to get your car.It takes me two to three times longer to load a car with the wheels cranked to one side than with them straight.