Catch a car thief in my car with a key! How??
Discussion
It was a normal Sunday evening, putting the kids to bed, on my way downstairs when I swear I could hear my car alarm. I opened the door to see a guy in my car trying to get it started! Having chased him down the road with a plant pot in hand bare foot (it's all I could find!) I was left wondering how this guy got into my car in the first place as there was absolutely no sign of damage!
On the advice of a friend I rang BMW customer service to find out that someone had obtained 2 keys this year once in July courtesy of a fake Irish V5, driving license and utility bill, the second one from a different garage 12 days ago where they produced another V5, documents and contact details........!
Now, am I being completely bonkers here, but this is all waaaaay to easy for someone to rock up and gain a key for my prize E46 M3?
I have requested that all of these 'additional' keys be removed from the key chain and having had a polite 'heated debate' with customer services they have agreed to put a 'note' on my record to advise any future 'parts managers' to make sure that if anyone else in future requests a key to double check the documents, leaving me very confident that this thing won't happen again!!! NOT
As a BMW 'customer' I genuinely feel like i've been hung out to dry on this one. Due to their failure to carry out the right checks I cannot understand how when presented with a V5 document they cannot check it against the inhouse system to see that the details are not the same. On top of everything I am going to have to pay for the re-programming of all of the keys as well as potentially change my locks at great expense, how is that fair when the mistake or lack of rigorous process at the manufacturers side means I am left feeling very nervous everytime I step foot out of my house expecting the car to be gone!
I would really welcome people's comments on this as to what rights do we have when this happens and who should pick up the bill to protect the car from it happening again, I have seen one already on PH with a very similar story. I am definitely not letting this one go with the manufacturer, this is all too easy for criminals who can get hold of fake documents to then walk away with your car which you have worked hard to buy.....
On the advice of a friend I rang BMW customer service to find out that someone had obtained 2 keys this year once in July courtesy of a fake Irish V5, driving license and utility bill, the second one from a different garage 12 days ago where they produced another V5, documents and contact details........!
Now, am I being completely bonkers here, but this is all waaaaay to easy for someone to rock up and gain a key for my prize E46 M3?
I have requested that all of these 'additional' keys be removed from the key chain and having had a polite 'heated debate' with customer services they have agreed to put a 'note' on my record to advise any future 'parts managers' to make sure that if anyone else in future requests a key to double check the documents, leaving me very confident that this thing won't happen again!!! NOT
As a BMW 'customer' I genuinely feel like i've been hung out to dry on this one. Due to their failure to carry out the right checks I cannot understand how when presented with a V5 document they cannot check it against the inhouse system to see that the details are not the same. On top of everything I am going to have to pay for the re-programming of all of the keys as well as potentially change my locks at great expense, how is that fair when the mistake or lack of rigorous process at the manufacturers side means I am left feeling very nervous everytime I step foot out of my house expecting the car to be gone!
I would really welcome people's comments on this as to what rights do we have when this happens and who should pick up the bill to protect the car from it happening again, I have seen one already on PH with a very similar story. I am definitely not letting this one go with the manufacturer, this is all too easy for criminals who can get hold of fake documents to then walk away with your car which you have worked hard to buy.....
QUICK UPDATE.......
I spoke to BMW head office and they basically said there is nothing they will or can do, it is the dealer who needs to provide a solution 'should' they have not carried out the correct checks! Someone in BMW head office has the keys department under their remit, i don't care how long it takes me I will get that person until they recognise something needs to change and that 3 fake documents does not result in a key to a high performance vehicle! It seems the only best practice they are interested in is how the sales guys are selling their cars and how many!!!!
I am awaiting a response from Oxford BMW as to whether they will offer me new locks for free, I have asked head office to call on my behalf as at least some form of help from them.
The police said that there was no crime in that the car didnt move therefore who is the victim! They also cannot do anything about the fraudulant information they used unless BMW actually report it to them......!! What's the chances of this happening, there is no way they are going to log this anywhere......
So all in all this leaves me absolutely nowwhere! Watchdog is definitely going to hear from me.
I've had more support from this blog than I have BMW, thanks everyone! (I must add though, that BMW Ketish Town have been excellent, it's shame that head office aren't as proactive!)
Any recco's on what car's to buy next??
I spoke to BMW head office and they basically said there is nothing they will or can do, it is the dealer who needs to provide a solution 'should' they have not carried out the correct checks! Someone in BMW head office has the keys department under their remit, i don't care how long it takes me I will get that person until they recognise something needs to change and that 3 fake documents does not result in a key to a high performance vehicle! It seems the only best practice they are interested in is how the sales guys are selling their cars and how many!!!!
I am awaiting a response from Oxford BMW as to whether they will offer me new locks for free, I have asked head office to call on my behalf as at least some form of help from them.
The police said that there was no crime in that the car didnt move therefore who is the victim! They also cannot do anything about the fraudulant information they used unless BMW actually report it to them......!! What's the chances of this happening, there is no way they are going to log this anywhere......
So all in all this leaves me absolutely nowwhere! Watchdog is definitely going to hear from me.
I've had more support from this blog than I have BMW, thanks everyone! (I must add though, that BMW Ketish Town have been excellent, it's shame that head office aren't as proactive!)
Any recco's on what car's to buy next??
What is annoying is BMW are saying that they are the 'victim' of fraud as well and that they have followed procedure. This is a growing trend by some of your comments so they need to look at their procedures quickly to combat this repearing itself which is my argument, as I said I won't be letting this one go, i'll take it as far as I can.......
A911DOM said:
This does seem to be appearing too often now.
What pee's me off with this, is that no-one is prepared to try and help.
The manufacturer rightly or wrongly bounce the problem down to the individual dealer - which stinks to be honest. What kind of damage are these corporate money bags doing to a brand which until recently was regarded as prestige / attractive!
The dealer, in turn, doesnt want to have anything to do with it because they would effectively be admitting liability. If some goon hasnt been bothered to check the necessary paperwork and go through the procedures, then it should be their head on the block. It doesnt take a genius to check a database and then confirm the paper details you see in front of you does it.
The police too seem to be taking a somewhat 'Not my problem guv' approach! If you'd managed to catch the scrote (despite wearing your latest pair of Zola Budd trainers), Im pretty sure plod would be along to ask you how come your flower pot had managed to become lodged up the scrotes backside.
Not sure that any of this is any use - but just a little bit of customer care and a few people doing their jobs would have a lot more people sleeping easy and probably considering returning to the BMW brand.
OP, Good luck with your dealings - be interesting to hear how far you get by making some noise about it
What pee's me off with this, is that no-one is prepared to try and help.
The manufacturer rightly or wrongly bounce the problem down to the individual dealer - which stinks to be honest. What kind of damage are these corporate money bags doing to a brand which until recently was regarded as prestige / attractive!
The dealer, in turn, doesnt want to have anything to do with it because they would effectively be admitting liability. If some goon hasnt been bothered to check the necessary paperwork and go through the procedures, then it should be their head on the block. It doesnt take a genius to check a database and then confirm the paper details you see in front of you does it.
The police too seem to be taking a somewhat 'Not my problem guv' approach! If you'd managed to catch the scrote (despite wearing your latest pair of Zola Budd trainers), Im pretty sure plod would be along to ask you how come your flower pot had managed to become lodged up the scrotes backside.
Not sure that any of this is any use - but just a little bit of customer care and a few people doing their jobs would have a lot more people sleeping easy and probably considering returning to the BMW brand.
OP, Good luck with your dealings - be interesting to hear how far you get by making some noise about it
The key will open the car door manually, you can put the key in the ignition, make a few turns, press the BMW button in the right sequence and the car sync's with the key and updates it with the coding required to make the key fully functionally, its on the internet aparently!!!!!! The only problem as a thief is the car alarm will trigger but if no one checks it takes 30 secs to program the key then off you go.........
530dTPhil said:
The OP said that the thief was trying to start the car which suggests that the key was not coded to the car.
The other thread which was linked says that the car was recovered 'down the road'; perhaps unlocked and pushed away from where it was parked?
I was under the impression that keys supplied by BMW were cut blanks that then has to be coded with the car at the dealer.
Is anyone sure that the keys are a case of order key, find car and drive away? I'm not so sure.
I completely agree about the lack of thorough checking before the key is supplied.
The other thread which was linked says that the car was recovered 'down the road'; perhaps unlocked and pushed away from where it was parked?
I was under the impression that keys supplied by BMW were cut blanks that then has to be coded with the car at the dealer.
Is anyone sure that the keys are a case of order key, find car and drive away? I'm not so sure.
I completely agree about the lack of thorough checking before the key is supplied.
Edited by 530dTPhil on Tuesday 24th November 19:23
can you remember where you saw the other persons story? I need to try and get hold of him as there are others like me in this situation. Thanks
bazking69 said:
You are the second chap with an M3 that has posted about this this week.
I'd be concerned. Very concerned. I'd also expect BMW to front the cost of a new lockset for your car given that there is a key in circulation and in the hands of criminals still (I presume)
As someone who works in the motortrade and orders keys I am all to aware of how careful and thorough I need to be vet people trying to order keys. Infact the process I follow rigidly usually infuriates most people because it is a pain in the ass, until I explain what could happen if I didn't follow these proceedures and ask them if they'd be upset if I sold the keys to their car to a criminal gang. I want to see the original V5, the customer in person and photo ID, all of which I copy, before I even entertain ordering keys. I am also very weary of dates on paperwork matching and addresses from outside of the area. Any doubt and I refuse to order keys, and have the full backing of my manager that it is at our descretion.
I'd be concerned. Very concerned. I'd also expect BMW to front the cost of a new lockset for your car given that there is a key in circulation and in the hands of criminals still (I presume)
As someone who works in the motortrade and orders keys I am all to aware of how careful and thorough I need to be vet people trying to order keys. Infact the process I follow rigidly usually infuriates most people because it is a pain in the ass, until I explain what could happen if I didn't follow these proceedures and ask them if they'd be upset if I sold the keys to their car to a criminal gang. I want to see the original V5, the customer in person and photo ID, all of which I copy, before I even entertain ordering keys. I am also very weary of dates on paperwork matching and addresses from outside of the area. Any doubt and I refuse to order keys, and have the full backing of my manager that it is at our descretion.
Thanks for this, i've contacted the guy as this sounds the same people
WorAl said:
kambites said:
Erm, there was another post with someone saying exactly the same thing last week.
ETA: Here you go: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I have seen three threads exactly like this in the past. one was a Blue M3, remember the photo added to the threadETA: Here you go: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Edited by kambites on Monday 23 November 21:15
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