Car theft these days ?
Discussion
Was just watching an old Wheeler Dealers where they do up a Sierra Cosworth, I was wondering whether cars like that are still a massive theft risk and what cars are targeted these days ?
Does the Joyrider still exist, I get the impression that they dont like they used to, the cars are too hard to steal without the keys and they are too busy on their phones and the internet to go round robbing cars ? there were however that gang of scrotes in Aberdeen, have thy been stopped yet ?
Are BMW's still dissapearing like they were or has that been sorted ?
Anyone had a car stolen recently ?
Does the Joyrider still exist, I get the impression that they dont like they used to, the cars are too hard to steal without the keys and they are too busy on their phones and the internet to go round robbing cars ? there were however that gang of scrotes in Aberdeen, have thy been stopped yet ?
Are BMW's still dissapearing like they were or has that been sorted ?
Anyone had a car stolen recently ?
ben5732 said:
Only person I directly know who had a car stolen by 'joyriders' owned a Ford escort within the past few years. I think modern car security have made it near impossible for kids to go out and steal them like they used to.
I cant imagine kids nowadays would know how to steal an older car, as generally there isnt much point, the skills have died out and the ones who used to do it are probably hanging round a Wetherspoons waiting for it to open.I think most exciting cars are too hard to steal for joyriding kids.
Stealing cars these days seems to be the realm of organised gangs with the right electronics or scary home invaders who take the keys.
It's no longer in the realms of a couple of teenagers with a central punch and screwdriver and a 50% chance if breaking the steering lock or column.
Stealing cars these days seems to be the realm of organised gangs with the right electronics or scary home invaders who take the keys.
It's no longer in the realms of a couple of teenagers with a central punch and screwdriver and a 50% chance if breaking the steering lock or column.
Snowboy said:
I think most exciting cars are too hard to steal for joyriding kids.
Stealing cars these days seems to be the realm of organised gangs with the right electronics or scary home invaders who take the keys.
It's no longer in the realms of a couple of teenagers with a central punch and screwdriver and a 50% chance if breaking the steering lock or column.
This.Stealing cars these days seems to be the realm of organised gangs with the right electronics or scary home invaders who take the keys.
It's no longer in the realms of a couple of teenagers with a central punch and screwdriver and a 50% chance if breaking the steering lock or column.
Cars seem to be stolen to order by organised gangs with all the gear required, BMW M cars, RS audis etc. Sometimes just the parts are stolen, like CSL airbox, RS4 recaros etc.. Not pleasant.
A friend of mine had a J-reg astra "stolen" from his drive a few years ago, he found it up the road (less than a mile away) - it turned out someone was walking home from his near-by pub and couldn't be arsed so popped his locks, drove up the road and ditched it.
Instead of paying for the ignition to be replaced, he just used to carry a screwdriver round to start it as the key no longer fit the broken barrel
CaptainSlow said:
Cars aren't hotwired anymore, theives generally break into the house to get hold of the keys.
This. If you think you're safe because you've got a modern car with immobiliser etc. and your keys are in your house then you're deluding yourself. There have been a large number of break-ins for car thefts around where I stay over the past couple of years. Mostly joyriders, cars are often torched once they've had their fun or run out of fuel. Keep your house properly secured and don't just leave your car keys hanging on a hook or on a table beside the front door.8bit said:
Keep your house properly secured and don't just leave your car keys hanging on a hook or on a table beside the front door.
Obviously keep your house secured but I would rather the keys to my car were easily available than have a gang of blokes come in looking for the keys while 2 young children are in the house.8bit said:
CaptainSlow said:
Cars aren't hotwired anymore, theives generally break into the house to get hold of the keys.
This. If you think you're safe because you've got a modern car with immobiliser etc. and your keys are in your house then you're deluding yourself. There have been a large number of break-ins for car thefts around where I stay over the past couple of years. Mostly joyriders, cars are often torched once they've had their fun or run out of fuel. Keep your house properly secured and don't just leave your car keys hanging on a hook or on a table beside the front door.Snowboy said:
I think most exciting cars are too hard to steal for joyriding kids.
Stealing cars these days seems to be the realm of organised gangs with the right electronics or scary home invaders who take the keys.
It's no longer in the realms of a couple of teenagers with a central punch and screwdriver and a 50% chance if breaking the steering lock or column.
Pretty much spot on, part of my work involves High value thefts.Stealing cars these days seems to be the realm of organised gangs with the right electronics or scary home invaders who take the keys.
It's no longer in the realms of a couple of teenagers with a central punch and screwdriver and a 50% chance if breaking the steering lock or column.
The top theft without keys at present are Ford, Land Rover (Range rover Etc) and BMW.
Not to say that Audis and mercs are immune, they've had thefts too.
Most are heading out of the country, port of tilbury is quite a hotspot for cars to be moved out of the country.
I think joyriding has died a death, cars are cheap, so it looks like kids can just buy their own to arse about it whenever they feel like it.
Cars tend to be stolen to be broken for parts or exported. Not sure if ringing is still as popular as it used to be.
The older cars still seem to be as vulnerable as ever, there's been a few posts on stuff like missing escorts.
Cars tend to be stolen to be broken for parts or exported. Not sure if ringing is still as popular as it used to be.
The older cars still seem to be as vulnerable as ever, there's been a few posts on stuff like missing escorts.
CaptainSlow said:
Targets in recent years have included Audi RS/S models and other hot German metal. Cars aren't hotwired anymore, theives generally break into the house to get hold of the keys.
Hence "German Whip" 
Most new cars havent been hotwirable for like twenty years now, thankfully.
few years ago a gf lost her car off the drive (and the subsequent contents of her house) as she'd left the car keys hanging off a hook in the hallway- yes they clearly fished the keys off the hook through the letterbox, which also had a set of hse keys on.
emptied the house into the car boot and off they went.
we were on holiday and only found out when she turned her phone on several days later, after our plane landed.
again, about 6 years ago, someone tried breaking into my house, to clearly steal my fairly new impreza.
where I lived then, was quite rural, there were only 8 houses, only 3 houses (1 being mine) had porches to the rear...... and of all houses, they tried to get into mine, through a very secure multi point locking aluminium porch door, to then be faced with a multipoint upvc door into the main house.
and we had a full alarm system- clearly visible with a lit up alarm box with an LED flashing on the rear- never set off as they simply couldn't breach the porch door.
anyhow they failed, but it cost me money renewing a set of locks.
emptied the house into the car boot and off they went.
we were on holiday and only found out when she turned her phone on several days later, after our plane landed.
again, about 6 years ago, someone tried breaking into my house, to clearly steal my fairly new impreza.
where I lived then, was quite rural, there were only 8 houses, only 3 houses (1 being mine) had porches to the rear...... and of all houses, they tried to get into mine, through a very secure multi point locking aluminium porch door, to then be faced with a multipoint upvc door into the main house.
and we had a full alarm system- clearly visible with a lit up alarm box with an LED flashing on the rear- never set off as they simply couldn't breach the porch door.
anyhow they failed, but it cost me money renewing a set of locks.
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