Car Theft Prevention Suggestions...

[Run-em]

Saw this request for suggestions on another site and wondered what everyone is using. Any suggestions/recommendations???

[NickP]

No wheels and tires.

[56-210Sedan]

http://i.livescience.com/images/i/000/037/095/i02/komodo-dragon.jpg?1361808626

[Maddog]

No wheels and tires.
I think that's after the fact:D

[chasracer]

I think I described this one on another site recently. I like grounding out the coil with a hidden toggle switch myself. Someone else suggested using the cigar lighter to do the same trick. Absolute cool tho is to put in one of those steering wheel adapters that the JDM guys like. They fit the steering column pretty good and allow you to either take the steering wheel with you or lock it up in the trunk of the car. Check some of the JDM aftermarket parts places or Amazon - they run about $20-$35 for a universal one.

[Rick_L]

I guess some of that stuff works for the rookie or casual car thieves. More serious thieves will just winch it up and go. Or if it's in a trailer, take the whole rig.

[WagonCrazy]

I agree with Rick here. When someone wants your car bad enough, they will get it. They just tow it off...

[chevynut]

I agree with Rick here. When someone wants your car bad enough, they will get it. They just tow it off...

That's exactly what happened to me in 1973 when they stole my 55 2-door sedan. I just finished it with a new paint job, 427 Corvette engine, 4-speed and 4.11 posi. 3 days in Kansas City and it was gone and I never saw it again. To this day I believe the cops were in on it.

[BamaNomad]

CN... I have to question one part of your post... saying 'THE cops were in on it...'. I could possibly believe that ONE bad cop had something to do with the theft of your car (calling one of his crook buddies or ??), but to say THE cops implies that the entire Police Department had something to do with the theft... I refuse to accept that an entire PD could be crooked...

[chevynut]

CN... I have to question one part of your post... saying 'THE cops were in on it...'. I could possibly believe that ONE bad cop had something to do with the theft of your car (calling one of his crook buddies or ??), but to say THE cops implies that the entire Police Department had something to do with the theft... I refuse to accept that an entire PD could be crooked...

After my car was stolen I heard from a few locals that there was a car theft ring and the cops were involved in it. I don't know it it was 1, 2, or a dozen. I never said it was the entire police department.

The reason I believe it is that the night before the car was stolen I went and washed it. To get to the apartment building we lived in temporarily, I drove through a church parking lot that was across the street. There was a police "paddy wagon" sitting back in the bushes and I looked at it when I drove by. There was enough light that I could see it was a black cop sitting in it and he eyed me as I drove by. I got up the next morning and got ready for work. I went outside and it was snowing and the street was beginning to get wet. I didn't see my car where I thought I parked it, and it was dry in that spot. I looked around thinking that I must have parked it somewhere else, but it was gone. I called the cops to file a report and offered them a picture of the car. They didn't give a damn about it, and refused the picture. They said "we have 50 cars stolen every day here" and that's the last I ever heard anything. For the next 18 months I was there I drove around and kept my eyes open for my car. Never saw it again, and it was probably taken somewhere else and/or parted out. Since that day I hate Kansas City....it's a crime infested shithole.

I still have the title for the car but to tell the truth I think there's something fishy about it. I bought the car in about 1970 as a shell from a guy who raced it with a BBC in it. I paid $35 for it, had to find a pair of rear axles and a diff to install in the housing to get it home, and spent the next couple of years rebuilding a 283 in high school auto shop class and scrounging the parts to putting it together. I dropped the 427 in it later and had it painted just before I moved to KCMO. The title says VB55 on it, which means it was a 210. However, the body had holes around the rear quarter windows for BelAir trim which I had put back on the car. So the car was originally a BelAir. I just recently noticed this when I had a sheriff friend of mine do a VIN search across the country for me. I don't recall ever verifying that the VIN plate matched the title and it's possible it didn't. That may be why I have never been able to find out anything about the car.

[BamaNomad]

I really hate to even 'slow down', much less stop overnight, while traveling thru KC... :)

[Gmvette]

I agree with Rick here. When someone wants your car bad enough, they will get it. They just tow it off...

A big heavy theater chain. The links are over 1/2” diameter grade 100 about 15 feet long. Too big and hard for a bolt cutters. I have a hardened tow loop bolted and welded to the frame I attach the 3 1/2” long link over it and heavy 7/16” bolt lock. Turn the wheel after done to inhibit access. Loop the other end around a pole and lock that end too or feed back to loop. No saw will cut it and plasma cutter, a die grinder or cut off wheel would be required. Not something a thief to cause unnecessary noise wants to be doing.

The whole idea is to just keep the thief moving on looking for something easier.