Saturday, June 04, 2011 - 09:14 am, by: Ken Yo(Khangz)
Hey guys, I was just wondering what you thought or if this has happened to you? As below it states how it's done. I've had this happen to my door about 6 months ago but I don't carry GPS systems or leave valuables in my car. Let me know what you think.
As I reached to open the door I noticed there was a hole right under my door handle. My first thought was, "someone has shot my car!" I phoned my friend who owns a body shop and asked if he had any Vehicles with damage to the doors that looked like a bullet hole. "Yes, I see it all the time. Thieves have a punch and place it right under the door handle, knock a hole through, Reach in and unlock it, just as if they have a key. No alarms, broken glass or anything". I then placed a call to my insurance agent and explained it to him. I was puzzled that they left my GPS and all other belongings.
Here is where it gets scary!
"They want the break-in to be so subtle that you don't even realize it. They look at your GPS to See where 'home' is. They know what you drive, so they go to your home and if your vehicle isn't there, they assume You aren't either and break into your home." He said they can even give you the courtesy of re-locking your doors for you. They will leave a purse or wallet and Only take one or two credit cards. By the time you realize there has been a theft, they may have already had a couple days, or more, to use them. So, periodically walk around your car; daily - if you are in a shopping centre or other parking area. Report thefts immediately....your bank w/missing cheque numbers, your credit card agencies, police, and insurance companies, etc. And set your home address for a street nearby.
Saturday, June 04, 2011 - 01:45 pm, by: James Johnson(Jimbo)
Thanks so much for posting this. I work in the security industry and encounter stolen cars quite often but there can be no tell tale signs of how they got in but now I know what to look for. Cheers.
Saturday, June 04, 2011 - 02:38 pm, by: Steven Anderson(Cusscuss)
With the alarm on my old soarer, if you unlock the door is does not disarm it, the alarm will still go off. I suspect this is the case with most other alarms and immobilisers as well.
Saturday, June 04, 2011 - 04:56 pm, by: Scott Vim(1uz1jz)
Yeah most after market you need to disarm the alarm with the button. I'm guessing it's the factory type alarms that disarm with the unlocking of the doors.
Mine doesn't car if the door is locked or unlocked. I can arm the alarm with the door unlocked or the window down if I want to. As soon as it detects the door is open alarm goes off. I would be so pissed if I saw a hole that size in my car though.
Saturday, June 04, 2011 - 05:04 pm, by: Shane Haverkamp(Havabeer)
that seams like a lot of effort to rob some one or find out if there car isn't there. wouldn't it be easier just to drive past a hand full of times a week noting when the car is or isn't there?
rather then breaking in and getting it from a gps, and then having to drive past to see if the car is there anyway?
but yeah my car alarm and immobilisers still go off even if unlocked when you open the door. i put this down to a marketing ploy by sydways/melways etc to boost sales in maps rather then GPS's
sorry to hear about them damaging your car though.
Monday, June 06, 2011 - 10:38 pm, by: Matchy Loi(Ftk148)
I haven't really read the topic, I skimmed it. But I have had my car broken into, it's silver and just like the pic above, I have the exact same poke. They got away with some coins, my climate control unit and relatively new head unit. It was done in Westfield carpark on a Saturday afternoon.