Do aftermarket car stereos still get nicked?

[Leicesterdave]

I've recently bought a fairly posh car stereo and was wondering if it was worth taking the front part off every single night.
I live in a good area if that helps.

[r1ch]

I was thinking this the other day.

My mum asked me if she should remove her face plate. I said yes just to be on the safe side, but i don't think anyone nicks em anymore.

Probably the top end one's i'd hide, but I leave mine in, its only a cheap one. I don't hear of many people having their sat nav's taken either now. There was a stage where sat nav's were the "in thing" to steal.

[Stu R]

No. The Scum & Smackhead Scally Union signed a peace treaty which pledges that the worst they'll do is give your ashtray full of change a good once over in case there happens to be any valuable antique coins in.*

Just for clarity, in light of what you just asked, I feel it's best to point out that this isn't actually true, and was intended as sarcasm. In fact, I'm fairly sure that the 'Scum and Smackhead Scally Union' doesn't actually exist.

Yes, cars still get broken into and stuff still gets nicked. I still don't bother taking the facia off, however.

[Mastodon2]

Leicesterdave said:

I've recently bought a fairly posh car stereo and was wondering if it was worth taking the front part off every single night.
I live in a good area if that helps.

If it's a good one, I probably would get into the habit of removing the faceplate from the car, or at least putting it in it's case in the glovebox. The chances of it getting nicked are low but it will be a good habit to have if you ever have to park up a less well to-do area.

I can't remove my stereo at night, as the Civic Type R has a unit moulded into the dash, however this also means I can never upgrade it either. A moot point perhaps, because I've only ever had it on once in the several months I've had the car.

[SooperDan]

It's a safety feature I think should be taken advantage of. You'd kick yourself if one day your stereo got nicked and you didn't take the facsia off because you thought it'd be alright.

[HB17]

Still goes on I'm afraid...had a minicab driver tell me he had 3 break ins into his car in 2 weeks!!!

This is is West london

[mgmrw]

Up here, not any more.


Since 2004 when I passed, EVERY car barring the SAAB has an aftermarket stereo.

Usually a £200+ one. In the case of the ZR/200SX/Focus, accompanied by plush speakers, 2x 12" subs, and a host of gidgets. Probably topping £2500 in value.


never worried. Never budged.

[Leicesterdave]

It 'only' cost me about £150 and tbh it's a git removing it everytime you get out the car. Though I know that if it did get nicked I would be kicking myself.
Why can't people leave well alone!

[mat13]

Its not the stereo being nicked that bothers me, its the damage they do getting to it, fitting a window on a modern car can be a right ballache.

[theaxe]

When I last had an aftermarket stereo I used to remove the facia and then just stick it above the sunvisor. Not very secure but better than nothing and less hassle than taking it with me or reaching over to the glovebox.

[mcflurry]

HB17 said:

Still goes on I'm afraid...had a minicab driver tell me he had 3 break ins into his car in 2 weeks!!!

This is is West london

The aforementioned society of motherfkers, Scum & Smackhead Scally Union probably thought he had "monies" left in the vehicle, seeing the taxi decals?

[gazchap]

I don't see any point any more.

Not since I realised that all a thief needs to do is nick the head unit and then buy a faceplate off eBay for the model in question (which will be on a sticker somewhere on the head unit) and they've got a working stereo.

[Astra Dan]

gazchap said:

I don't see any point any more.

Not since I realised that all a thief needs to do is nick the head unit and then buy a faceplate off eBay for the model in question (which will be on a sticker somewhere on the head unit) and they've got a working stereo.

Very true. The wife's Nova had a half decent stereo that was fitted in the correct way (shock horror) but the garage couldn't find the front. I got one from eBay for £20.
I believe I live in a good area and only remove the front from mine when I'm away from home overnight. I often forget to lock the car most nights!

[redtwin]

I leave the fascia on, I also replaced my wheel locks with regular nuts as I like living on the edge.

The latter may have more to do with the wheel lock key nearly stripping the locking nut.

[jamiebae]

mat13 said:

Its not the stereo being nicked that bothers me, its the damage they do getting to it, fitting a window on a modern car can be a right ballache.

This ^

Back in 2003 my 6 week old Saxo got broken into, even though the faceplate had been removed, and because the scumbags used some kind of crowbar to lever out the top of the door, kinked the edge of the roof and cracked the centre console when levering out the stereo. £1,500 of damage done, to nick a £100 CD player.

[diablo21]

the place i am just now, it's more likely that your car will be robbed when you are in it!!
by gunpoint!!! well scary i can tell ya.

i remember a few years ago a driver in Rio got his arm chopped off by machete because he wouldn't hand over his watch when he was being car jacked (2009 if i remember correctly)


i remember getting my car broken into back in the '90s when i lived in a city.
they rifled through all my CD's but never took any of them...
i think that's what bothered me the most

[J4CKO]

I was thinking this as well, the scrotes now will all have 5 plus year old Fords, Vauxhalls and French stuff which all has an integrated stereo, the market for flogging them on isnt there and I suspect a new generation of scrote has emerged that isnt as fixated on in car entertainment, you may be unlucky and get one that still thinks its 1995 but I reckon most of the cars with a standard din slot are either bangers on their last legs or enthusiast owned older stuff. Electronics are cheap now as well, a decent headunit can be had for £100, secondhand stuff goes for peanuts.

[mikey P 500]

Removing the face plate doesn’t stop them steeling the stereo anyway. (I have 2 left over face plates to prove this from stereos that were stolen), I think the trouble is a lot of people will assume the stereo to be a better model if someone has taken the trouble to remove face plate, these days I don’t bother and haven’t had one stolen since (although also no longer park regularly in a town centre).

[CDP]

Stu R said:

In fact, I'm fairly sure that the 'Scum and Smackhead Scally Union' doesn't actually exist.[/small]

http://www.labour.org.uk/

[Decky_Q]

I think that there have been more easily portable devices with higher values lying round in cars for years like smartphones, ipods, sat nav etc so there is no need to take a troublesome item that needs tools to remove from the dash and may be worth nothing at all wehn you try to sell it.

I have a nice touchscreen jobbie and considered this -

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=double+din+cover&...


as a anti-theft device but then I knew I would be bored of using it after 6 months.