Take Caution When Selling... Please Read

[mattgtd]

Evening guys, just wanted to post what's just happened to a mate of mine.
Few day ago he decides he wants to sell his BMW 320d M Sport 2011 and buy a Freelander 2 as a more family friendly car as he has now has 2 little ones and a dog etc.
I spoke to him about not trading it in and loosing a load of money, so instead he put it on Autotrader and Pistonheads yesterday. He called me yesterday afternoon to say that a guy had called, seemed really interested and was coming round yesterday evening to see it. It got to about 9. o clock and he text to say he hadn't turned up - oh well, time wasting git we thought as usual, no harm done.
He calls this morning to say the BMW was stolen last night, he literally cannot believe it, his bedroom is at the front directly above the drive, he had the window open as it was warm and to top it all off he has a gravel driveway - which obviously aren't the quietest anyway! But there is no glass anywhere, so no window broken, but there are large drag marks in the gravel and it looks like they may have used a truck and winched it or picked it up - all without him or anyone hearing a thing!

obviously whatever scum did this called him and had a chat and then got the address and arranged to see it as anybody would. Just goes to show that it may be worth always insisting on meeting them up the road at somewhere private and with cameras, like a pub or petrol garage, before letting them follow you back to your house hey?

Really would not not want that to happen to anyone on here!

[ackbullchang]

Gutted for your mate, but it is a rising trend for keyless entry BMWs. The scumbags have got the ECU diagnostic hardware/software and reversed engineered it to re programme keyfobs that can start and drive the car. Usually they have to break a window to access the ODB port to programme the keyfobs. Generally if it is a secluded area, but outside of someone's house, they will push the car away quietly to programme the fob out of site. Never heard of one where there was no forced entry, but I guess they may have now found a way.

Read this:

http://www.zdnet.com/hackers-steal-keyless-bmw-in-...

I always felt that the foibles of a tvr would generally prevent it getting nicked. If the scum took it, it would probably only break down 5 miles down the road.

Edited by ackbullchang on Thursday 28th August 21:45

[mattgtd]

ackbullchang said:

Gutted for your mate, but it is a rising trend for keyless entry BMWs. The scumbags have got the ECU diagnostic software and reversed engineered it to re programme keyfobs that can start and drive the car. Usually they have to break a window to access the ODB port to programme the keyfobs. Generally if it is a secluded area, but outside of someone's house, they will push the car away quietly to programme the fob out of site. Never heard of one where there was no forced entry, but I guess they may have now found a way.

Read this:

http://www.zdnet.com/hackers-steal-keyless-bmw-in-...

I always felt that the foibles of a tvr would generally prevent it getting nicked. If the scum took it, it would probably only break down 5 miles down the road.

Edited by ackbullchang on Thursday 28th August 21:19

I remember seeing that video, and it makes sense completely, as if you keep your arm tight close to the door card then it doesn't trigger the ultrasonics and sound the alarm. But as you said, to push it away and start it or bond a keyfob to it then they do need to break into it and my mate has literally crawled round the gravel and swears there isn't a piece of glass anywhere - it must have been lifted, but the noise from a truck just beggers belief really!

[ianwayne]

I'm not sure what relevance the car being advertised for sale was, since you say the caller never turned up. It could have just been spotted on the drive, couldn't it?

Fortunately, most of the people round here wouldn't even know how to get in a TVR, or out for that matter if they shut the door.

Edited by ianwayne on Thursday 28th August 22:16

[phillpot]

I wondered the same, but I guess if they are after a specific car looking through the ads is easier than touring housing estates checking out driveways?

Then they take the chance car isn't garaged, blocked in by other cars etc?

[SILICONEKID345HP]

Its probably in a container ready for Africa .

[mattgtd]

ianwayne said:

I'm not sure what relevance the car being advertised for sale was, since you say the caller never turned up. It could have just been spotted on the drive, couldn't it?

Fortunately, most of the people round here wouldn't even know how to get in a TVR, or out for that matter if they shut the door.

Edited by ianwayne on Thursday 28th August 22:16

The police said that this is happening more and more where the scum use the ads to find exactly what they want and then act as a buyer to get the address, then return later to take it. They said they obtain a few addresses as a plan b and c etc, so if they do turn up to find it blocked in or garaged then they go to the next one.
Wouldn't you just love to catch them!

[tinman696]

mattgtd said:

The police said that this is happening more and more where the scum use the ads to find exactly what they want and then act as a buyer to get the address, then return later to take it. They said they obtain a few addresses as a plan b and c etc, so if they do turn up to find it blocked in or garaged then they go to the next one.
Wouldn't you just love to catch them!

Indeed, it's neither a new thing nor limited to expensive cars either, the exact same thing happened to me when I put my old 125cc Honda motorbike up for sale some years back...

[Sheepshanks]

mattgtd said:

Wouldn't you just love to catch them!

I know this is PistonHeads, but probably not.

Bearing in mind the car isn't exactly unusual, it does seem a bit un-necessary for the thieves to make contact with the owner - not turning up may well alert the owner that something dodgy is going on.

OTOH, they could just turn up en-masse, go for a test-drive, and take the car off the owner.

[Helicopter123]

Look on the bright side though, our mate has just "sold" his car to the insurance company. Jackpot hit if he had GAP.

[ChasW]

Sheepshanks said:

mattgtd said:

Wouldn't you just love to catch them!

I know this is PistonHeads, but probably not.

Bearing in mind the car isn't exactly unusual, it does seem a bit un-necessary for the thieves to make contact with the owner - not turning up may well alert the owner that something dodgy is going on.

OTOH, they could just turn up en-masse, go for a test-drive, and take the car off the owner.

Unless they really are stealing to order.

[Nigel Worc's]

ianwayne said:

I'm not sure what relevance the car being advertised for sale was, since you say the caller never turned up. It could have just been spotted on the drive, couldn't it?

Fortunately, most of the people round here wouldn't even know how to get in a TVR, or out for that matter if they shut the door.

Edited by ianwayne on Thursday 28th August 22:16

This isn't new, it has been happening for years now, usually with high value vehicles stolen to order.

[Osinjak]

mattgtd said:

Just goes to show that it may be worth always insisting on meeting them up the road at somewhere private and with cameras, like a pub or petrol garage, before letting them follow you back to your house hey?

Feel for your mate obviously but if I was buying a car and the bloke insisted in meeting in a pub car park I'd walk.

[hantsxlg]

what an ar8e. Hope your friend was well insured.

I find it a little surprising that people bother stealing a 320d. Not exactly rare, high value or demand outstripping supply. Still I guess it was an M-sport so maybe they thought they had grabbed a spankers new M3? :-)

[NickHKent]

I know there have been a few threads about this issue. Is there are comprehensive list of models/years that are affected by this?

I've got an 09 3 series coupe- hopefully it's too old for anyone to bother nicking it, I'm not bothered about the car but would be pissed off if my golf clubs were in the boot!

[Billyray911]

NickHKent said:

I know there have been a few threads about this issue. Is there are comprehensive list of models/years that are affected by this?

I've got an 09 3 series coupe- hopefully it's too old for anyone to bother nicking it, I'm not bothered about the car but would be pissed off if my golf clubs were in the boot!

Regarding BMW Keyless theft,anything that has the block type key and anything that has followed ie all E9# and newer F# models.
If it has parts that are easy to strip and sell,they will be stolen-idrive,leather,xenons-anything and everything...

[5to1]

Billyray911 said:

Regarding BMW Keyless theft,anything that has the block type key and anything that has followed ie all E9# and newer F# models.
If it has parts that are easy to strip and sell,they will be stolen-idrive,leather,xenons-anything and everything...

Are there any confirmed reports of the F series cars being affected. I did skim through the thread and didn't see mention of any F series cars having been stolen in that manner.

[JimmyTheHand]

5to1 said:

Are there any confirmed reports of the F series cars being affected. I did skim through the thread and didn't see mention of any F series cars having been stolen in that manner.

There is a comment on bottom of page 186 which suggested so - but I haven't seen much else suggested

Edited by JimmyTheHand on Tuesday 2nd September 19:34

[Billyray911]

I know I'm some unknown on a car forum,however F* cars are definitely going via keyless methods as are all models of most other marques-audi,range rover,ford RS and ST.The list is vast...
The software to be able to recode blank keys has been available for the latest models for a while and continues to become available as new models are released.

[AOK]

What an eye opener.

How does one go about getting a replacement key for a BMW anyway? Or getting back into their car if they are locked out and lost both keys?

All I'm thinking is that with the help of a shady (in on the crime) contact at a BMW centre, perhaps the thief just ordered a new key for the car posing as the owner after having found out their name, address and number plate over the phone? I'm sure for a few hundred quid you can even get a fake driving licence made up in a few hours if it's needed for id? And then you just return, open the car and head on your way