Near Theft of my S3

[doodz444]

@JLbowden sorry to hear about your loss and everyone else who has lost to these scums

I'm From Stockport, I ended up selling my S3 a couple of weeks after the near theft



Didn't like parking the car on my drive, became paranoid.

Soo couple of weeks of rotating on random nearby roads, I finally sold the car at huge loss.

the car was huge spec, truly miss it, Sepang blue, 5door DSG with black pack, I told the police about the theft they didn't care I've still got the torch I found and CCTV footage, in fact the police questioned me how I can afford such a car...

Edited by doodz444 on Wednesday 10th January 23:26

[IJB1959]

JLBowden said:

Recently had my 8 month old 3dr S3 stolen. I live on a main road just south of Manchester. On street parking and it was just gone the next morning, and I have both keys, no smashed glass. Would love to know how it's been done, I keep on scanning the locals expecting to hear a story of it wrapped around a tree with a few dead miscreants (Am I allowed to say that?)

I count myself lucky after reading this thread, some people have it far, far worse. After reading it, I think you've confirmed that the attempted break in (Someone tried my back door three weeks previous), was indeed related which none of my family, friend or police thought was related.

We have the same surname......related?

[IJB1959]

doodz444 said:

@JLbowden sorry to hear about your loss and everyone else who has lost to these scums

I'm From Stockport, I ended up selling my S3 a couple of weeks after the near theft



Didn't like parking the car on my drive, became paranoid.

Soo couple of weeks of rotating on random nearby roads, I finally sold the car at huge loss.

the car was huge spec, truly miss it, Sepang blue, 5door DSG with black pack, I told the police about the theft they didn't care I've still got the torch I found and CCTV footage, in fact the police questioned me how I can afford such a car...

Edited by doodz444 on Wednesday 10th January 23:26

I'd complain about that to someone senior if I were you...cheeky sods.

[Digga]

JLBowden said:

Stockport

My Mk1 XR2 was nicked from outside my digs in Alma Road, Levenshulme when I was an engineering student. Not much changes! Certainly the law's no deterrent. It's a massive PITA and you have my sympathy.

[eatontrifles]

From a Golf GTI forum today;

Just had word last night that a good friend of mine in West Yorkshire had his 8 month old Golf R stolen last night in what he's described to be as a very violent and harrowing experience.

He's had the car nearly stolen once before, but then had the Autowatch Ghost fitted (as recommended by his insurance company). Well on Tuesday night he was woken by three large men in balaclavas in his bedroom demanding they give him the keys (they had broken in though the patio). He duly gave them the keys without hassle, but whist one of the guys went down to the car, the other two stayed with him and his wife.

Minute later he was back and in a foreign language (he thinks eastern European - maybe Romanian, Serbian etc.) said sometime to his other colleagues and one of them produced a large knife and grabbed his wife Julie, and threatened to cut her if he didn't start the car for them. Obviously he didn't hesitate and went downstairs to the car and entered his pin, and they drove off with his car and another BMW X5 they had waiting.

Police attended and are treating this very seriously as you can imagine, although CID did say they hadn't been made aware of eastern Europeans operating in the area and it's the first time that an aggravated car theft in his area had been so violent.

Needless to say my mate is still very shaken but his wife Julie is in pieces and inconsolable. To make matters worse his two kids (one 5 and one 2 year old) were in the next rooms. What sort of pond life scum does that to a family over a bloody car !!! I don't normally think this, but I hope they loose control at high speed and plough head on into a motorway bridge and all die a most painful death (assuming no one else is involved of course). A horrible thing to wish for, but my friend and his wife are one of the nicest and friendliest couples you could ever wish to meet, and this sort of thing just shouldn't' happen in civilized society.

Needless to say, he doesn't ever want to see the car again and said he will never get a nice new car ever again. Said he can't go though that twice. My heart really goes out to the pair of them, and I doubt the scumbags will ever be caught.

[andrewparker]

Precisely the reason I’d never have Autowatch installed, or take my keys upstairs with me.

PS any link to the thread?

Edited by andrewparker on Thursday 11th January 11:41

[smarty156]

Presumably they could still track it and switch it off remotely?

[Evanivitch]

smarty156 said:

Presumably they could still track it and switch it off remotely?

Worth bearing in mind after having a knife held to your wife's throat.

It's also not unknown for stolen cars to be left to stand for a few days whilst they check it's not been tracked.

Or parked in a shipping container.

[xjay1337]

andrewparker said:

Precisely the reason I’d never have Autowatch installed, or take my keys upstairs with me.

PS any link to the thread?

Edited by andrewparker on Thursday 11th January 11:41

Do NOT just bend over and give up so easily.

I'm not saying the chap should have gotten his wife cut because of a car, but do not just leave your keys about dangling by the back door just so it's easier for a thief!!

We should be making it as hard as practically possible for them to steal cars.

[TooMany2cvs]

xjay1337 said:

andrewparker said:

Precisely the reason I’d never have Autowatch installed, or take my keys upstairs with me.

Do NOT just bend over and give up so easily.

I'm not saying the chap should have gotten his wife cut because of a car, but do not just leave your keys about dangling by the back door just so it's easier for a thief!!

We should be making it as hard as practically possible for them to steal cars.

Stair domination in 5... 4... 3... 2...

[andrewparker]

xjay1337 said:

andrewparker said:

Precisely the reason I’d never have Autowatch installed, or take my keys upstairs with me.

PS any link to the thread?

Edited by andrewparker on Thursday 11th January 11:41

Do NOT just bend over and give up so easily.

I'm not saying the chap should have gotten his wife cut because of a car, but do not just leave your keys about dangling by the back door just so it's easier for a thief!!

We should be making it as hard as practically possible for them to steal cars.

With respect mate, we're going to have to agree to disagree. Once they're in my house they'll find the keys on my kitchen island. Under no circumstances am I going to create a situation that invites any confrontation. My stand, if you could call it that, is that my cars have trackers, and I'd hope that if they do get taken the tracker goes some way to either retrieving the car, or leading the Police to them. I've also secured my house as much as I am comfortable with, so I'm not making it easy for anyone, but if someone gets inside I'm not one of these people who is going to take the risk that they might not come upstairs to forcibly remove the keys from my hands.

[J4CKO]

What are the penalties these kind of thieves face if caught ?

[xjay1337]

Of course we can disagree.

But refusing to fit additional security to your car just because?

Seems like you are giving up.

I wonder how many thefts the gang will simply give up when car fails to start.

[andrewparker]

xjay1337 said:

Of course we can disagree.

But refusing to fit additional security to your car just because?

Seems like you are giving up.

Just because? Just because what has been said above might happen? Yes, exactly that, and as far as I'm concerned the Autowatch system invites exactly that sort of situation.

[Some Gump]

xjay1337 said:

Of course we can disagree.

But refusing to fit additional security to your car just because?

Seems like you are giving up.

I wonder how many thefts the gang will simply give up when car fails to start.

Easy to act the hard man hen the person you love most doesn't have a sharp knife held at her throat.

[Evanivitch]

xjay1337 said:

Of course we can disagree.

But refusing to fit additional security to your car just because?

Seems like you are giving up.

I wonder how many thefts the gang will simply give up when car fails to start.

So the mental harm to your family (and yourself) is the better option instead of allowing people that have already broken into your home to get away without causing more harm?

You've got to choose your battles. Laminated glass in doors, well secured locks, good general home security is where your priorities should be. Even considering making it a physical confrontation is absurd.

[TooMany2cvs]

J4CKO said:

What are the penalties these kind of thieves face if caught ?

On top of the car theft?

If they brought the knife with 'em, then potentially up to Aggravated Burglary - maximum sentence life...?

[xjay1337]

Did I say I would fight the guy?

No. Idiots. Infact I said I specifically said that it was just in relation to leaving your keys about, etc. I would also do the same as the bloke and give up the code.

I just said that not fitting additional security seems like giving up to me.

Secure your home and your car. The same could be said for those big Disklok things. Not going to put one on incase the baddies come back and ask for the key to that too?

[Evanivitch]

xjay1337 said:

Did I say I would fight the guy?

No. Idiots. Infact I said I specifically said that it was just in relation to leaving your keys about, etc. I would also do the same as the bloke and give up the code.

I just said that not fitting additional security seems like giving up to me.

Secure your home and your car. The same could be said for those big Disklok things. Not going to put one on incase the baddies come back and ask for the key to that too?

Did I say fight? Read it again. Knife to wife definitely qualifies.

Again, how would a disklock make a difference in this instance? Would you keep the key seperate?

Disklocks are great in cars with poor security already (MX5, Ford's etc).

[Andy OH]

xjay1337 said:

Of course we can disagree.

But refusing to fit additional security to your car just because?

Seems like you are giving up.

I wonder how many thefts the gang will simply give up when car fails to start.

My friend you are talking bs. If three large guys in balaclavas broke into my house and demanded the keys to my car or to put a PIN into an immobiliser device whilst holding a knife to my wife's throat I would not sit back and challenge. They can have the bloody car it's replaceable my wife isn't.