CAR STRANDED - Worried it may get stolen!!!

[NUEZ]

Hi All,

Basically we were burgled last night (laptops, ipods, etc.). But more importantly a set of car keys to my housemates MK4 Golf. He does have a second set, but they are with him in Germany and he won't be back for a few days.

Basically we are worried that the burglars will come back to the road tonight and press the key fob, locate the car and drive it off. We could call a recovery company to get the car taken away on a low-loader but sure this would cost a small fortune. So thinking of a way to try and disable the car (i.e taking out the battery / fuses for ignition)but so far progress with ideas hasn't been great.

Options-

- Break in (smash window/bend door open slightly), pop the bonnet, remove battery and fuses............but........... potentially a broken window depending on how we break in, and we will be left with alarm going off. I assume that alarm will continue to go off even if we disconnect the battery? Would removing the fuse for alarm stop the siren?

- Calling the AA isn't really an option, as although I am a member I cannot claim I was planning to drive the car as I don't have a set of keys.



Any ideas/creative options would be much appreciated.

[kambites]

Go to Halfords and buy a wheel clamp?

[Dracoro]

Can you block the car in?

[edo]

kambites said:

Go to Halfords and buy a wheel clamp?

This. And let the tyres down. (buy a pump too).

[DamienB]

Deflate tyres. Block in with other vehicles. If no locking wheel nuts, jack it up and take a wheel off.

[Fordo]

let the air out of all 4 tyres- what car criminal would have a tyre pump with them, or time to bother pumping them up?

edit- was beaten to the suggestion!

Edited by Fordo on Thursday 29th July 18:01

[NUEZ]

Dracoro said:

Can you block the car in?

We are in SW London and don't have enough cars with the correct residents permit to block in. The traffic wardens round her are militant in their efficiency.

[jayfish]

Can you and a neighbour park up against it's bumpers?
Does it have locking wheel nuts, if not 2 axle stands and removal of front wheels?
Can you reach the bonnet release by lying under the front of the car and remove the battery?


edit to add, PistonHeads - Typing really fast matters.

Edited by jayfish on Thursday 29th July 18:03

[NiceCupOfTea]

Trolley jack, take one of the wheels off?

Have a look in the Haynes, will probably tell you how to operate the bonnet release with a bent bit of wire - remove rotor arm.

Call the AA

Block it in with another car

Stick a few potatos up the exhaust pipe - they won't get far

Spend the night in the front room with a maglite

[ludicrous speed]

leave a note

[Fizpop]

Sorry to hear about your break in
Steel wheels or unlocked alloys? - Perhaps take a couple off? Block it in with another car or two.
Wrap it in clingfilm or wait with a bunch of mates for the thieving scrotes to come back?

[hairy]

wheel clamp? dont know how easy they are to get hold of, some vag cars of that era had an emergency plastic key that you could keep in your wallet, might be worth contacting your housemate see if he has that hidden somwhere, or get him to fedex his key back to you.

i have been burgled both at home and only last month at the office, makes your blood boil!

[NUEZ]

ludicrous speed said:

leave a note

I think a strongly worded note would be much more effective

[jazzybee]

Fizpop said:

Wrap it in clingfilm

I'm liking this.

[NUEZ]

Fizpop said:

Sorry to hear about your break in
Steel wheels or unlocked alloys? - Perhaps take a couple off? Block it in with another car or two.
Wrap it in clingfilm or wait with a bunch of mates for the thieving scrotes to come back?

If we had a spare key, it would entertaining (but boring) to lie in wait in the boot wielding a machate.

[NUEZ]

Letting the air out the tyres would be a deterrent, but a determined scroat could still drive it off.

[Deluded]

Disconnect HT Leads/coil packs, sit and watch the car. If some pikey scum turn up and try to nick it, call the police. Hopefully, the fact it wont start will give you some time to take down their reg number, take some photos and for the police to get there act together.


Either that or give you the time to get outside with a bat and give em hell

Edited by Deluded on Thursday 29th July 18:11

[netherfield]

Call his insurance company,they may do something about it,it will probably need all new locks and code altering anyway.

They may come back weeks later anyway.

Edited by netherfield on Thursday 29th July 18:13

[wrighty78]

Moving toward the more desperate, how about:

Flag down a Council flat-bed parking enforcement truck thingy and see if he'll accept a few quid to lift and shift the car to the other side of the Borough / car parking zone / whatever? Would be sodding unlucky if the thief still managed to find it half a mile away.

[Gareth79]

I would second calling his insurance company - they would suffer the loss and should be interested in sorting it, either by lifting it away or getting a locksmith to recode the alarm.