dinoevo
Adventurer
Nice idea! If you grind of the mounting plate, how did you end up attaching it to the door?
Vehicle Security
- Thread starter SEREvince
- Start date
Code Monkey
Observer
People will steal anything they can grab, whether the item is of any real value or not.
I know this is an old post, but just to make a point I will relate a story about someone stealing a CB antenna I had on an SUV and some other thefts over time.
I had a magnetic mount CB antenna with a matched cable. As most 2 way radio savvy people know, you do need to have your cable and antenna and radio tuned to each other to a point to get the right SWR/etc. - so this one was right for my system. I had taken the handheld CB out of the truck but was lazy and didn't grab the antenna. Someone came along, dragged the magnetic mount across the roof of the truck scratching the paint and cutting the cable where it went into the SUV.
The antenna was of no use to them this way. They would have to have the equipment and take the time to tear apart a *sealed* antenna to properly attach a new cable. But they stole it anyway.
When I was in college some thieves came through the parking lot of the apartments I was living in and broke into a dozen or so vehicles. They stole the tools from my truck (broke a window to get into it) and stole the following from other vehicles; gloves, a pack of cigs, sunglasses, anything that wasn't nailed down essentially.
I had some stuff sitting in my carport some years ago - a rolling chair to work on vehicles, a jack to lift my motorcycles, some old computers I was going to throw away. One night someone came through and stole all of that stuff, including the old computers.
The point is that thieves will steal anything that they thing is even slightly valuable - even if it is just a pair of sunglasses. It may not seem all that big of a deal to you, but they will steal it if they can grab it quickly and run off with it. The more valuable it is the more time and effort and risk they will put into taking it.
So make it difficult enough that they will pass it by for something easier. Don't leave things out in view unless they are locked down.
Don't just throw a coat over something on your car seat because they will break a window to take the coat, whatever is under it and whatever is in your glove compartment - if the passenger compartment has a lot of stuff in it that doesn't look all that valuable, they will still break the window to rifle through your stuff.
I've seen this time and time again - last time was last summer some friends had a rig at a trailhead but parked the farthest away from the trail, there were multiple people around and some crackheads stopped and parked in front of my friends rig long enough to do a smash and grab even though people were around - they drove off before anybody could get a plate number. The damage they did was several times the cost of what they stole.
Thieves range from kids looking to have a thrill or trying to get some beer money, to drug addicts who will steal anything to supply their habit, to pros who can steal anything no matter how well it is locked down.
Hawk Thor
New member
In my old VW Golf III, I had a kill switch under the gearstick boot. It was located where reverse is on regular H pattern gearboxes. You could just barely feel it but there was no way to see it.
On my old Hilux I had a kill switch located near the fuse-panel under the dash. Another switch that you had to feel for and could not see. I only used that when leaving the truck to stand. , that would cut out the starter, fuel cut-off and glowplugs. The truck did not have AC but I had an AC switch that had to be in the on position for the starter relay to work.
My Cruiser has a Viper alarm which can cut out the starter and also has a feature to help with car-jacking. If enabled, the vehicle will drive as usual, if a door is opened without the alarm being disengaged the alarm will let the vehicle drive a certain distance and then shut the motor off. Not to be restarted until the alarm has been deactivated and the hidden switch depressed in a certain way, leaving me free to escape.
It also has a ECU and glowplug killswitch. I still have the Cruiser so I won´t tell anyone where the switch is, but its very well hidden and so are the wires.
On my old Hilux I had a kill switch located near the fuse-panel under the dash. Another switch that you had to feel for and could not see. I only used that when leaving the truck to stand. , that would cut out the starter, fuel cut-off and glowplugs. The truck did not have AC but I had an AC switch that had to be in the on position for the starter relay to work.
My Cruiser has a Viper alarm which can cut out the starter and also has a feature to help with car-jacking. If enabled, the vehicle will drive as usual, if a door is opened without the alarm being disengaged the alarm will let the vehicle drive a certain distance and then shut the motor off. Not to be restarted until the alarm has been deactivated and the hidden switch depressed in a certain way, leaving me free to escape.
It also has a ECU and glowplug killswitch. I still have the Cruiser so I won´t tell anyone where the switch is, but its very well hidden and so are the wires.
thebrassnuckles
Explorer
About a year ago some deutche bag stole the stereo out of my jeep, in my driveway..I only had soft doors, so there was no locking it anyways, I had never had a problem with parking it anywhere. I used to live on a highway with all kinds of strange folks walking past every night... never had a single problem.. I buy my own house, and park my jeep in the driveway ... boom stereo gone..
last night I forgot to lock the passenger door of my work truck(first time ever) and someone stole my work pone out of it (droid).... so these characters were either really lucky, or check my doors every night...
I am looking into a cheapo alarm that just goes off so damned loud it wakes me or my wife up so I can run out front and put a hurting on these jokers.
I doubt they would steal one of the cars, as my 4runner has been unlocked for the past 6 or 7 months... I dont have anything of value in it, and I would rather allow them to rummage thru to find that out, than have to buy a new window cause they werent sure if I had anything good and wanted to check it out.
last night I forgot to lock the passenger door of my work truck(first time ever) and someone stole my work pone out of it (droid).... so these characters were either really lucky, or check my doors every night...
I am looking into a cheapo alarm that just goes off so damned loud it wakes me or my wife up so I can run out front and put a hurting on these jokers.
I doubt they would steal one of the cars, as my 4runner has been unlocked for the past 6 or 7 months... I dont have anything of value in it, and I would rather allow them to rummage thru to find that out, than have to buy a new window cause they werent sure if I had anything good and wanted to check it out.
overlander
Expedition Leader
I'm slowly working on a plan for overland security on my defender. Many overland defenders create a security compartment in the rear cargo area, boxed in with a dog guard, and full window guards all around, which is what I will do. I'm also going to do privacy tinting this coming spring.
I have a shovel on my front wing/fender. my security method for that is a steel cable I crimped around the handle, with a loop end at the end of a foot length. to minimize padlocks on my vehicle, I have an attachment point in my engine compartment adjacent but under the hood to the shovel. I have to actually open my hood and remove the loop to a caribiner to remove the shovel. opening the hood involves the in cabin hood release-thus defacto security.
I do have a pick axle handle over my rear door, that I want to secure. I'm less concerned about it being stolen, but I don't want to leave a tool unsecured that can be used to break into the rest of the vehicle. I am also converting all my glass that will not be secured behind security grill to laminated glass, which is much harder and more attention grabbing to get through than tempered glass that most cars have in side windows.
I also tend to a do a kill switch to my fuel stop solenoid. I have a tuffy steel console, and the kill switch will be in that, under lock itself.
I have a shovel on my front wing/fender. my security method for that is a steel cable I crimped around the handle, with a loop end at the end of a foot length. to minimize padlocks on my vehicle, I have an attachment point in my engine compartment adjacent but under the hood to the shovel. I have to actually open my hood and remove the loop to a caribiner to remove the shovel. opening the hood involves the in cabin hood release-thus defacto security.
I do have a pick axle handle over my rear door, that I want to secure. I'm less concerned about it being stolen, but I don't want to leave a tool unsecured that can be used to break into the rest of the vehicle. I am also converting all my glass that will not be secured behind security grill to laminated glass, which is much harder and more attention grabbing to get through than tempered glass that most cars have in side windows.
I also tend to a do a kill switch to my fuel stop solenoid. I have a tuffy steel console, and the kill switch will be in that, under lock itself.
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Hawk Thor
New member
There is one thing I forgot to mention.
Installing piezo sirens or piezo buzzers under the dash and in the cargo area can make it pretty much impossible for the thief to "work" in there.
They´re obnoxiously loud, annoying things that are easy to hide and can push you to insanity in seconds.
I have two deep inside the dash pointing into the footwells and one on the upper right corner of the cargo-rack/dog-guard pointing down towards the cargo door and one on the same corner pointing to the center console.
They are 110 DB, 1.5" diameter and did not cost much. I bought five sirens for approximately 30 USD. I bought them locally but they are easy to find on ebay.
The noise I can not describe better than F-ing torture, but earsplitting pain will result from staying in the car for too long.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuwakjPTVEk&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuwakjPTVEk&feature=related[/ame]
I would recommend these as an addiction to any alarm. They´re cheap, effective, easy to install, hard to spot if not put in plain view and they draw very little power. I think the 4 I have don´t draw 0.5A combined.
Installing piezo sirens or piezo buzzers under the dash and in the cargo area can make it pretty much impossible for the thief to "work" in there.
They´re obnoxiously loud, annoying things that are easy to hide and can push you to insanity in seconds.
I have two deep inside the dash pointing into the footwells and one on the upper right corner of the cargo-rack/dog-guard pointing down towards the cargo door and one on the same corner pointing to the center console.
They are 110 DB, 1.5" diameter and did not cost much. I bought five sirens for approximately 30 USD. I bought them locally but they are easy to find on ebay.
The noise I can not describe better than F-ing torture, but earsplitting pain will result from staying in the car for too long.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuwakjPTVEk&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuwakjPTVEk&feature=related[/ame]
I would recommend these as an addiction to any alarm. They´re cheap, effective, easy to install, hard to spot if not put in plain view and they draw very little power. I think the 4 I have don´t draw 0.5A combined.
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southpier
Expedition Leader
this thread raises a bunch of questions for me:
1. Leer cap. how can i make it more secure? (i have a tailgate 'pop'n'lock)
2. Tacoma cab access doors. any way to lock them independent of the driver & passenger door. so if a regular door was opened, the little half door would still be locked?
thanks
1. Leer cap. how can i make it more secure? (i have a tailgate 'pop'n'lock)
2. Tacoma cab access doors. any way to lock them independent of the driver & passenger door. so if a regular door was opened, the little half door would still be locked?
thanks
corax
Explorer
If you're parking at a trailhead, leave a note on the dash with something similar, "Bob, went for a quick hike, took the [Ruger, Glock, Colt] with me, wait for me to get back" 
here's the DIY version
here's the DIY version
mustangwarrior
Adventurer
i dont try worry too much about stuff, i obviously dont leave it open to theives,
i have a toolbox that is always locked and bolted down, it would take alot to get into it,
also a soft cover, not very secure, but out of sight, out of mind, i guess?
just built a center console with locking storage, a screwdriver could probly pry it open but once again out of sight, out of mind
i have a toolbox that is always locked and bolted down, it would take alot to get into it,
also a soft cover, not very secure, but out of sight, out of mind, i guess?
just built a center console with locking storage, a screwdriver could probly pry it open but once again out of sight, out of mind
If you're parking at a trailhead, leave a note on the dash with something similar, "Bob, went for a quick hike, took the [Ruger, Glock, Colt] with me, wait for me to get back"
That is hilarious. Occasionally I park at trail heads when riding out from there. I'll have to try that to keep the nosy little punks away.
Mamontof
Explorer
andreagold
New member
This is an interesting chat here. I was unaware that all these kinds of securities are even necessary for vehicles. I will soon be sending my RV for some security beef up.
UpperCrust
Building and Learning
I have removed any stickers, decals, license plate frames, etc., that may give a thief a hint that there is something valuable in my truck. Even a "I'd rather be fishing" bumper stick might be a tip off that there is expensive fishing gear somewhere.
I've even toyed with the idea of a bumper sticker that might lead thieves in the other direction, such as: "I'm retired, will work for food".
I've even toyed with the idea of a bumper sticker that might lead thieves in the other direction, such as: "I'm retired, will work for food".