[DaveSlinger]

Since purchasing, my car has been broken into twice (fortunately not stolen). The thieves stole a laptop from me the second time. Does anyone know a way to stop this? The thieves are apparently using a FOB device or something to remotely open the car.

It's strange, after the first time this happened in my driveway I installed cameras. About a year later, the second time it happened it's like my cameras didn't record the thief at all. It's like the cameras were blocked out of recording also. Is that possible?

I'm thinking of getting an aftermarket alarm system or the old fashion, disconnect the car starting battery. Is there a way to tap into the door lock 12 volt power and put in a kill switch perhaps? Can I remove the FOB battery and just use the key to get in the car? If I do this, can the car still be opened if someone has the car code? Any new suggestions or guidance on which of these would be the best method?

Sometimes this new technology for convenience is a pain in the butt and only makes things worse...
Thanks

 

[Lin19687]

Don't leave anything in it, period.
Once they get something from you they usually wait a while till you get back to normal and will strike again.

Also listing where you live might help. And yes an alarm might help but if they are using a fob, maybe this would disable it?
Not sure what kind of camera you are using that didn't record the 2nd break in. Is it Hardwired? Can you aim it from an inside window?
Put one of those cheap Harbor Freight EYES that DINGS when something passes by it Wireless Security Alert System This way you will know when someone walks into your driveway.

 

[DaveSlinger]

YES,
I'm going to try and change my habits now that I know this is a never ending threat. I'll check out your Harbor Freight idea. I also have a mirror camera in the car that records the view in front of the car but I had the car pointing the wrong way. It does record sounds so I was able to at least get the time when the thief was in the car by recording the sounds of him going through my things.

Lorex cameras, hardwired to DVR recorder, it baffles me why they didn't pick up anything. Set to record motion but I'm going to change to record full time. It catches everything else when the motion is on- dogs, cats, people walking down the street- but not this break in. Camera pointed directly at car...
Thanks for your suggestions

 

[redpoint5]

The US is soft on property crime, so there's little disincentive for cretins to respect it, and since they aren't locked up long enough to overcome their drug dependency, they're right back at it after a few hours in jail.

Don't keep valuables in the vehicle. If you do, hide it in an area no smash and grab thief would look. In Costa Rica our rental was broken into twice in 24hrs. While I had no alternative but to leave my wallet in the car when I went swimming, I found plastic seat trim I could hide it that nobody would think to look. My stuff didn't get stollen either of those times, while other's stuff that was placed in the locked glove box was.

I started leaving my vehicle unlocked even if valuables were inside so that a thief wouldn't break anything, and they still wouldn't find my well hidden valuables.

 

[Packard V8]

The thieves are apparently using a FOB device or something to remotely open the car.

the second time it happened it's like my cameras didn't record the thief at all. It's like the cameras were blocked out of recording also.

Has anyone else had either of these experiences? Seems pretty technically sophisticated for the typical meth-head-car-prowler.

jack vines

 

[GregBrew]

Since purchasing, my car has been broken into twice (fortunately not stolen). The thieves stole a laptop from me the second time. Does anyone know a way to stop this? The thieves are apparently using a FOB device or something to remotely open the car.

It's strange, after the first time this happened in my driveway I installed cameras. About a year later, the second time it happened it's like my cameras didn't record the thief at all. It's like the cameras were blocked out of recording also. Is that possible?

I'm thinking of getting an aftermarket alarm system or the old fashion, disconnect the car starting battery. Is there a way to tap into the door lock 12 volt power and put in a kill switch perhaps? Can I remove the FOB battery and just use the key to get in the car? If I do this, can the car still be opened if someone has the car code? Any new suggestions or guidance on which of these would be the best method?

Sometimes this new technology for convenience is a pain in the butt and only makes things worse...
Thanks

How about stop leaving visible contents in the car?

 

[GregBrew]

The US is soft on property crime, so there's little disincentive for cretins to respect it, and since they aren't locked up long enough to overcome their drug dependency, they're right back at it after a few hours in jail.

Don't keep valuables in the vehicle. If you do, hide it in an area no smash and grab thief would look. In Costa Rica our rental was broken into twice in 24hrs. While I had no alternative but to leave my wallet in the car when I went swimming, I found plastic seat trim I could hide it that nobody would think to look. My stuff didn't get stollen either of those times, while other's stuff that was placed in the locked glove box was.

I started leaving my vehicle unlocked even if valuables were inside so that a thief wouldn't break anything, and they still wouldn't find my well hidden valuables.

Yeah. My 1987 Jeep Wrangler didn't even have door locks. A low-life thief cut my brand-new $400 door skins (on an unlocked door) in order to steal a $50 cassette/radio in a "protected" valet parking garage.

 

[redpoint5]

I've caught half the people that have broken into my vehicles. I ran into one of them the very next day at Safeway. Don't know how these people are getting less than 24hrs in jail after breaking out a window and stealing wallets (which I recovered).

I accidentally left my wallet with $400 in it on the dash of my car back in highschool. Of course that was too tempting to let be. That represented about a months worth of working after school. I carried large quantities of cash just in case, but I didn't spend it often.

We're not wrong in giving crooks the opportunity to steal, because that just shifts the victim to someone else who is an easier target. Rather, we're wrong to allow that behavior in society. It represents dysfunction because there are societies where personal property is very safe even when not carefully guarded. It's a difference in values and expectations of behavior.

There was a small island in Nicaragua where I could trust my laptop, wallet, and camera would be safe despite no locks on my room at all despite the locals being quite poor in comparison. They trusted that I would pay a meal tab later, and I trusted they would not steal my belongings.

 

[NY-Rob]

Six ways thieves can break into a car and how to prevent it...

THE DAYS of hotwiring cars are long gone. Today’s thieves use a variety of sophisticated techniques to gain access to cars and start the engine. The police, car makers and the insurance industry are playing catch-up as techniques evolve and adapt quickly to modern cars.
These measures are having some effect but as anti-theft systems become more advanced, so do the thieves. Below we outline six common methods used to steal vehicles that have keyless entry systems and keyless start buttons — and how to keep your care safe.



Six types of keyless car theft
1 Signal relaying
Keyless systems use a simple process. Fobs emit a short-range “friendly” radio signal that carries only a few yards. When the associated vehicle is close by (usually within a few metres), the car recognizes the signal unlocks its doors. The same process is used for the ignition on cars with start buttons; the fob signal usually needs to be inside the car itself.
Relay thieves use wireless transmitters held up to the front door or window of a house (or the handbag/pocket of a car owner), to capture the signal from a fob and relay it to a target vehicle. An accomplice standing close to the vehicle captures the signal, fooling the car into unlocking. Once the accomplice is inside the car, the process can be repeated to start the engine.

2 Signal jamming
A device transmitting on the same radio frequency as remote key fobs is used to jam the signal that locks the car. The gadget might be in the pocket of a crook in a car park, or left in shrubbery near a driveway being targeted. When owners press the lock button on their key fob, the command is prevented from reaching their vehicle and it remains unlocked. Thieves are left with an open door.

3 Key programming
Whether thieves break a window or use the jamming technique above, once they’re inside the car, those vehicles with a start button rather than an ignition key can be simple to steal.
Every car sold for more than a decade has been required to have a standard diagnostic port fitted. This is typically located in the front footwell. Computer hackers have developed devices that plug into the port, boot up a vehicle’s software and then program a blank key fob.
In keyless cars this can be used to start the engine as well as unlock the doors. The time needed for the programming process is as short as 14 seconds. The cost of programming gadgets on foreign websites is as low as £10.

..... click on link above for remainder of article....

 

[Packard V8]

All that works for James Bond movies, but don't believe everything we read on the internet. Even so,the cost of the technology has to be recoverable by the loot heisted. Using big bucks high tech for breaking into a Bolt parked on the street to steal a laptop isn't a positive return.

Fortunately, the local meth-head-car-prowlers here are barely conscious enough to carry a rock. They aren't armed with thousands of dollars of wireless theft gadgets to steal chump change out of cars parked in working class neighborhoods.

jack vines

 

[DaveSlinger]

Since purchasing, my car has been broken into twice (fortunately not stolen). The thieves stole a laptop from me the second time. Does anyone know a way to stop this? The thieves are apparently using a FOB device or something to remotely open the car.

It's strange, after the first time this happened in my driveway I installed cameras. About a year later, the second time it happened it's like my cameras didn't record the thief at all. It's like the cameras were blocked out of recording also. Is that possible?

I'm thinking of getting an aftermarket alarm system or the old fashion, disconnect the car starting battery. Is there a way to tap into the door lock 12 volt power and put in a kill switch perhaps? Can I remove the FOB battery and just use the key to get in the car? If I do this, can the car still be opened if someone has the car code? Any new suggestions or guidance on which of these would be the best method?

Sometimes this new technology for convenience is a pain in the butt and only makes things worse...
Thanks

 

[DaveSlinger]

YES,
I'm going to try and change my habits now that I know this is a never ending threat. I'll check out your Harbor Freight idea. I also have a mirror camera in the car that records the view in front of the car but I had the car pointing the wrong way. It does record sounds so I was able to at least get the time when the thief was in the car by recording the sounds of him going through my things.

Lorex cameras, hardwired to DVR recorder, it baffles me why they didn't pick up anything. Set to record motion but I'm going to change to record full time. It catches everything else when the motion is on- dogs, cats, people walking down the street- but not this break in. Camera pointed directly at car...
Thanks for your suggestions

CRAP,
I don't know how to reply to the original topic. I'll reply here to those that responded...
It was night time and dark. I had my stupid laptop shoved between the seat and console. You could barely see the top of it but naturally when rooting around, the thief found it. Even went in the back seat floor and took the case for it. Pretty bold knowing I have cameras pointing everywhere. That's why I think he disabled them somehow.

I disable the lights from flashing when unlocked. Hopefully a passer by thief will think the car didn't unlock if he didn't see the car say- HEY I'M WIDE OPEN!!!

I'm looking for one of those old fashion alarms that just go off when the doors are open (that can't be hacked). I'm using a steering wheel lock and hopefully "old school" technology can defeat the thief geeks.

 

[Curt]

Can't someone just use a slim jim to open any car in 15 seconds? Isn't that what lock-out services do?

 

[Digi]

Absolutely NOTHING “can’t be hacked”. EVERYTHING can be hacked if a hacker is determined enough.

 

[MikeyBolt]

Of course, anything including hardwired DVR's can be hacked, but it's probably more likely they are using tried and true simple thief tactics like wearing dark clothing (or clothing the same color as the background) to avoid the motion sensor going off, laser or spotlight on the camera lens, moving very slowly, etc. Most of the time you don't need anything sophisticated. One of my friends is a consultant who reviews site security. On one job, he was tasked with getting through a gated/barbed wire gate fence by breaking the security on the entrance door. The entrance door had a handle on the inside that had a capacitive touch sensor so it could detect a human touch on the handle and let people out by unlocking the latch when it detected a touch from the inside. The inside handle was located a good 10 feet from the fence so only the people on the inside could touch the handle. My friend broke in within 5 minutes and the company asked what equipment he used to hack the electronics. He said "A wet washcloth and a stick". He took a long stick and put the damp washcloth on the end of it and was able to touch the capacitive sensor on the inside, thus unlocking it.

Some of the most sophisticated security systems have simple flaws that are often overlooked.

Mike

 

[RichardC]

About a year ago I had a sudden emergency room visit out of town. I don’t remember all the details but somehow got locked out of my Bolt. Called a Lock Smith and guy shows up with a little air powered expandable wedge. Puts it in crack of door and turns it on. Door is forced open just enough for him to slide a slim Jim in and pop the button. Door was not damaged. As easy as falling off a log. I was pretty disappointed to see how easy it is to break into my Bolt.

 

[Sean Nelson]

...the company asked what equipment he used to hack the electronics. He said "A wet washcloth and a stick". He took a long stick and put the damp washcloth on the end of it and was able to touch the capacitive sensor on the inside, thus unlocking it.

I recall seeing a YouTube video from someone who audits site security and it was ridiculous how easy it was to gain access to so many places. One of the tricks I remember was to activate proximity sensors using can of hairspray through, say, a roll-down gate to an underground parking garage. Another was the intercom systems used in condos - apparently there's a master key that fits a huge percentage of them and all you need to do is to open the panel and press down on a relay to open the front door.

Another YouTube series that's very interesting is "The Lockpicking Laywer". He finds all kinds of vulnerabilities - for example there are a lot of safes and other electronically locked devices that can be opened with nothing more than a magnet.

 

[redpoint5]

 

[Pigwich]

Signal relaying is pretty common in Los Angeles. Rampant with the Pruis. Keep your FOB in a metal box. It's less annoying than buying new glass three times a year. I'd be curious to try a Rollooo Stainless Steel Large Chainmail Dice Bag - Holds About 6 Dice Sets:Amazon:Toys & Games too.

 

[hatchy]

I was going to say, locally here a few of the bad guys are using electronics to rob and steal cars. Smaller cities probably not a worry.