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Thread: Scumbag car thieves!

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    Scumbag car thieves!

    On Friday, for the second time in 18 months, some scumbag (possibly the same one) has tried to steal my N15 S2 SSS from our work car park.

    Each time, they've somehow unlocked the doors with no sign of forced entry, then tried to force the ignition lock. At least this time they didn't hack up all around the lock and once I got it unjammed, everything returned to normal. I've now bought one of those "club lock" things that lock on to the steering wheel to act as a visible deterrent.

    The work security guys have him on camera arriving at my car, then leaving 2 minutes later. I guess the crook must only know how to steal Pulsars, because on the same day (I guess shortly after mine was broken in to) an N13 Pulsar [EDIT: was stolen] from one of the other car parks (one not covered by cameras).

    Obviously, there must be a really easy and quick way to unlock the doors on an N15. Best to not discuss the "how" on a public forum, but are there any easy steps I can take to harden the car up a bit? I guess that as there are fewer and fewer cars on the road that don't have immobilisers, the older 2L Pulsars will become more of a target. Take care out there.
    Last edited by Shred; 04-07-2018 at 01:23 PM.

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    PhilSSStevenson's Avatar
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    I use a 'crook-lock' steering wheel bar locker. Only $20 and worth it.

    Cheers.
    NISSAN Pulsar N14 SSS Oz spec - the SSS cult classic. Owned mine since 1992.

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    Quote Originally Posted by PhilSSStevenson View Post
    I use a 'crook-lock' steering wheel bar locker. Only $20 and worth it.
    It sounds like that's the way to go. If I put an alarm or immobiliser in, they'd probably still damage the car breaking in, before finding out they couldn't steal it. With the "crook-lock", hopefully they see it and bugger off elsewhere. The video surveillance footage shows the guy walking in to the main car park from a side street, going straight to my car and shortly after that getting in. It was 2 minutes from when he reached the car, to when he left, so unlocking the door was no problem at all. He walked past 20-30 other cars without even glancing at them. I guess he knew exactly what he wanted.

    I just realised there's a typo in my original post. There was an N13 stolen from one of our other car parks on the same day my car was broken in to, so our security guys and CIB think it was the same guy.

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    Need Input Cozzm0's Avatar
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    Disconnect the door lock barrel from the locking mechanism if you never use the key, just depends how they got in. We all know the door frames/windows are the easy way to get in, you can lever the top of the door frame and get a hook onto the door lock release, that's how NRMA do it ....

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cozzm0 View Post
    Disconnect the door lock barrel from the locking mechanism
    That's a good idea and would stop them getting in this way. There's a much quicker and easier way to force entry than the way the NRMA do it, but it relies on you not caring about damaging the car. Disconnecting the lock barrel would work - and if the central locking dies in the bum, I can always get in through the hatch.

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    Need Input Cozzm0's Avatar
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    Smashing the rear 1/4 window on the rear door would be an easy way i can think of. not much you can do other than applying a security film to the window glass but they'll just do more damage if they can't get in.

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    Geez, it’s still going on.

    Last Wednesday, I returned to my car to find that the keyless entry wouldn’t work. It wouldn’t work, because the car had been broken in to yet again and the driver’s door left ajar. Guess the steering lock didn’t stop them breaking in, but least they didn’t try to force the ignition lock this time. He was on CCTV again, but not identifiable.

    Last Thursday a thief (possibly the same one) was apprehended breaking in to a car parked beside one of the internal roads at work. He was arrested, but then one of the security guys saw the crook at a nearby shopping centre the very next day, so the Police didn’t keep hom off the street for long.

    On Saturday, another N15 Pulsar was stolen from a work car park (it’s a big place wih lots of cars). I’ve since found out that another N15 was pinched from the nearby shopping center around three weeks ago. I’m almost too nervous to park there now. Have been riding my bike to work and parking it in my office this week! Might have to swap cars with the Missus, who has a brand new Subaru :-)

    [Edit: none of the stolen cars have been recovered - they’ve just vanished]

    Time to buy an alarm after all. What do people recommend?

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    sss4me's Avatar
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    steering locks dont work. me, hack saw, 1 min, and its gone.

    alarm, kill switch, tracker. or remove the rotor plug every time you leave the car.
    quality is remembered long after price is forgotten

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    PhilSSStevenson's Avatar
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    The crook-lock is the way to go. If this dude is walking around with a tool bag, then its less effective.

    Also get one of these:

    https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/FAKE-CAR.../322955584829?


    or move neighbourhoods.
    NISSAN Pulsar N14 SSS Oz spec - the SSS cult classic. Owned mine since 1992.

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    Quote Originally Posted by sss4me View Post
    steering locks dont work. me, hack saw, 1 min, and its gone.
    I understand what you're saying, but at the end of the day, we're not dealing with sophisticated car thieves. These seem to be just bozo teenagers who walk around with a screwdriver or a pair of scissors. If I can make it look a bit harder for them, the chances are that they'll just wander off and look for an easier target. If someone really wants to steal your car, there's not much you can do to stop them. They can just drag it up onto a tow truck and then it's gone.

    There have been some good ideas in this thread though. The idea of disconnecting the door lock barrels will stop them opening the doors with just a screwdriver is good. If I can find a blanking plate to replace the door lock barrel, then they won't hack up the door trying to force the lock. I haven't investigated it yet, but apparently there are stainless steel blanking plates that plumbers use to cover up holes where taps have been removed. If I can get a couple that are small enough, they might be an option.

    I think an immobiliser plus alarm might be called for too. I've had a car alarm in the past (threw it out when I moved house four years ago - doh!) and I don't like them, but if the car is that easy to open the doors on, it's probably worthwhile.

    For the record, the problem is happening at my place of work. It's in one of the less desirable areas of the city and is a big target for criminals. I'm not that worried about the car when it's at home. It's locked in a garage that is covered by CCTV (inside and out) and the house is alarmed.

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