Our BMW was broken into last night, no idea how?

[tejr]

My understanding is that unless you have had the 'security enhancement' done at a dealer, there is a vulnerability where the window can be opened with not much effort...

The usual method is then to reach over to the OBD socket, program a new key in seconds, and then drive off with it..

It seems in this case the thieves lacked the specialist equipment to code a new key (and is probably why they were looking to tow it away, hence the missing tow eye cover) and/or were disturbed through the process...

I'd also hazard a guess that they either locked it by accident (leaning over th door pin, or just out of sheer habit?) or the car locked itself, as it normal if a door hasn't been opened after a set period of time..

Depending on where the stolen items were taken from, it could have just been a case of the window vulnerability being exploited, thieves lean into steal contents and considered towing it (or just wanted to tow hook).

I would suggest you contact your local dealer and get the security enhancement done asap. And maybe relocate the OBD II plug in the mean time.

[HJMS123]

4Q said:

I found my A45 AMG unlocked a couple of months ago with both front seats moved all the way back and the glovebox open. Didn't bother reporting it though as I'm not sure what the police could've / would've done as nothing had been taken. No sign of damage or anything to indicate anything suspicious, the keys were secure so no idea how they got in. Had a few nights waking up to every rustle and sound outside but nothing else has happened so I forgot all about it.

I also had this but with a st megane, back seats were flat and they stole the loose change out of the ash tray but never bothered reporting it.

[Pistachio]

[quote=Who me ?]Baffling, but perhaps a diagnostic check might reveal more. If as suggested a sharp short shock was applied to the front ( not enough to set off air bags, but enough to set off the crash sensors, which unlock the central lock system in event of an accident- ) ,then this event might be recorded in the data log.
[/quote]
The airbags shouldnt go off unless someone is sitting in the car .
The idea of the sharp shock sounds plausible to get the car unlocked. then after time the car locks itself again

[lostkiwi]

Stepson has an 11 plate 520d and had the same thing earlier this month. Silly boy had left his laptop on the back seat. He has his own business and everything was kept on the laptop and stupid boy hadn't backed it up.
No signs of forced entry at all. We think he just left it unlocked but maybe not from the OP's issue.

[swamp]

The thieves probably want your BMW for a job. The theft of your stuff is just a feint -- it's probably in the bin at the end of the street. They will have cloned your key and in a few weeks' time it will disappear to run some narcotics round the country or something.

[Monty Python]

It's not the crash sensor - this only works when the car is occupied (they're located under the seat) and as part of the system it blows the main battery disconnect in the boot, so there wouldn't be any power to lock the doors again.

It does sound a bit odd though, unless the car wasn't locked and the thieves simply got out through the passenger door and locked it before they closed it.

[EskimoArapaho]

Is this the old (OBD) hack? Or might it be the newer keyless hack, where the thief uses a transceiver to amplify the call-response communication between the car and key (which is still in your house)?

See here, for example: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/16/style/keeping-yo...

[siremoon]

EskimoArapaho said:

Is this the old (OBD) hack? Or might it be the newer keyless hack, where the thief uses a transceiver to amplify the call-response communication between the car and key (which is still in your house)?

See here, for example: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/16/style/keeping-yo...

I would have thought that the keyless hack will only work on BMW's with Comfort Access (which of course the OP may have)

[unsprung]

BuzzBravado said:

unsprung said:

Or is a stolen RHD import perfectly acceptable to some local potentate in a LHD former Soviet republic?

Very much so. Plenty high end RHD cars in eastern european countries like bulgaria, slovakia, bosnia and albania...... basically countries in that area ending with "ia". No reason for so many to be there other than they were ill gotten.

Everybody in those "ia" countries will understand where the large minority of RHD cars has come from. As well as the method of procurement.

Having lived and worked in that part of Europe, I imagine that there is no shame in belonging to this "elite" RHD club. Indeed, could be the opposite: pride.

[BullyB]

I got this done to my X5.

http://www.securemycar.co.uk/bmw-stolen.html