STOLEN !! WHY!!!

[Yostumpy]

Evening all. Just thought of a new forum poll, due to the number of lr's being stolen recently, x-cept I don't know how to set it up, maybe one of the moderators could do something. Bascically you vote in an ANONIMOUS poll the following, has your lr got

a) electrical imobilser

B) mechanical imobilser

C) both or multiples thereof

d) none of the above

E) ever had a lr stolen with none of the above

F) if so which of the above has the the replacement lr got, having learnt a lesson

All of this should be totally ANONIMOUS, dont know how! but it would be interesting to see how many lr's stolen were not protected in any way. and what percentages work out for the thefts of those secure or those not secure. If it only means spending £100 on A DEVICE in order to keep you LR safe WHY DONT PEOPLE DO IT!!!!!!!!!!! YOU WOULDNT LEAVE THE FRONT DOOR OF YOUR HOUSE OPEN ALL NIGHT WOULD YOU!!!!!!!!

Over to the forum then!!!!

[Andy]

i was told i MUST have an alarm/imobiliser fitted for my in-sewer-ants company to cover my disco & that was back when it was stock. so the original alarm etc is still fitted, the wires might not be connected since the keyfob died, but its fitted

[Peter]

Yostumppy (hey watch out for that stump when out biking) mark.

Yep good idea (BTW out laning in Kent on Saturday see other forum)

Also how about a poll on other parts of your LR body being snatched while you sleep - hey does that sound like a horror movie to you too ?

My mate has rigged his alarm up, so that if any wires to the winch are cut it kicks off the 200 watt alarm - enough to wake the hounds from hell behind their triple glazed sanctuaries. Believe you me his neighbours are the hounds from hell.

[freeagent]

when mine is left overnight its fitted with a disclok over the steering wheel, it has a fancy electronic imobiliser, and factory fitted alarm...

i had one nicked earlier this year that was fitted with a £400 trakker... total waste of money, the truck was never seen again....

[Daan]

i had one nicked earlier this year that was fitted with a £400 trakker... total waste of money, the truck was never seen again....

i have considered a tracker; what happened, did they disconnect it?

daan

[steve_a]

I think the police have to luck in and get in the region of a tracker, so it can be hit and miss.

comment I trot out each time, ebay sell mobile phone based kits so that you can do geolocation yourself, I know in rural areas the coverage will be pants, but in places like docks or inner city lock ups and pikey camps the moby signal will be fine and you can find your truck...

Of course if it is so good why have i still not got around to spending the £40 and why is my BigUn not on my 90 back home...

[Peter]

i have considered a tracker; what happened, did they disconnect it?

daan

Interestingly, tracker is now owned by Direct Line Insurance (aka RBS insurance).

BTW found this really interesting device:

Foot locker

Small enough to keep in he glove box.

[Paul64]

Interestingly, tracker is now owned by Direct Line Insurance (aka RBS insurance).

BTW found this really interesting device:

Foot locker

Small enough to keep in he glove box.

£80?? Surely someone could knock one up for cheaper than that? Nice idea though.

[will_warne]

I think the type of tracker also makes a big differance. The latest GPS ones are very effective IF its triggered quickly.

Personally I don't think you can beat keeping vehicles under lock and key.

[dollythelw]

if someone wants it badly enough then whatever you put on can be circumvented, a friend had his (seriously well alarmed) garage broken into and his race bike (which was ground anchored and independantly alarmed) was lifted over the roof of his Beemer and never seen again, he was in the house asleep at the time.

nobble switch, big dog, good neighbours and common sense seems to be as good as it gets IMO (anything else might be a touch non-pc and I'd never suggest that )

[FridgeFreezer]

I get around this by never having a vehicle worth nicking

Had a couple of goes at nicking stuff from the car, once was 'cos GF knew best and didn't cover her handbag up when she left it in the car and then outside my mate's house a car full of music gear they screwdrivered the lock but by then I'd fitted an alarm so they legged it empty handed.

A lot of modern stuff is geared round immobilisation, which is fine in some ways but if people want something they'll hiab it, tow it or otherwise spirit it away. But then they have all the time in the world to get round the immobiliser. A loud alarm may be anti-social and the insurance co may not rate it as highly, but from the stories of LR theft I would guess it would be a better deterrent than more hi-tech stuff.

If you're shopping for alarm sirens, 126dB is the pain barrier for noise

[reads90]

mmm don't really have an alarm on the 90 . But as it is soft top. It has a lockable solid cubby box and we never leave anything in it that we don't care if it gets nicked.

More worried about somone knifing the soft top. So most of the time i used to leave it unlocked anyway

But that was in the Uk. may have to think about getting somthing done here in Aus as i am surronded by conolial convicts . But now with the house it will sit behind remote garage doors and remote front gates. So should be ok and all locked away

[Diesel_90]

has anyone had any expirence with the meck lock? this sounds like a good idea but someone could still tow your vehicle away whilst building the trialer and installing a hydraulic handbrake it gave me a idea to put a tap on the brake lines of the 90 so when you park it you leave the pressure in the lines holding the brakes on, this should make it a bit harder to move on the sly.

[SteveG]

has anyone had any expirence with the meck lock?

Yes, they work very well and I would recommend them. Best one to get in my opinion is the 4 port version and plumb it in to clutch and brake circuits or on an auto both brake circuits. Kev at Mudstuff sells them with a kit for Defenders Mudstuff

As you say they would have to flatbed it away or re-plumb both circuits in situ.

IMHO Trackers on Defenders are so easy to find and disarm that they are worthless. I have the same view about them fitted to other vehicles too. There are a limited number of places you can place them especially the GPS based ones that makes them easy to find and it take 10secs to disable them.

Cheers

Steve

[simonr]

The GPS based systems can easily be jammed with a device, even the hard of thinking can knock up.

I rather like the idea of a big spike which you lock into position poking through the drivers seat base. Makes it hard to drive - or at least a little surprising!

When I lived in London, I used to leave an oiley Haynes book of lies open on the driver seat on the engine problems page. Don't know if it had any effect - but it was never touched.

Si

[headhunter]

Yes, they work very well and I would recommend them. Best one to get in my opinion is the 4 port version and plumb it in to clutch and brake circuits or on an auto both brake circuits. Kev at Mudstuff sells them with a kit for Defenders Mudstuff

As you say they would have to flatbed it away or re-plumb both circuits in situ.

IMHO Trackers on Defenders are so easy to find and disarm that they are worthless. I have the same view about them fitted to other vehicles too. There are a limited number of places you can place them especially the GPS based ones that makes them easy to find and it take 10secs to disable them.

Cheers

Steve

I agree Mecklock is the way to go using the 4 port as Steve suggests. The 2 port is recommended for use on the clutch, however the gears can be crashed to make a get away if the clutch is closed. So this is not the ultimate deterent to the determined thief who knows what he is doing.

Using the 4 port for the clutch and the hydraulic braking circuit makes life much more difficult as the vehicle will lock with all wheel brakes on, as soon as the brake pedal is depressed.

You don't have to leave the braking circuit under pressure (which may put constant pressure on your brake piston seals), because if someone does get into your vehicle and drive it off, the first time they brake will be the last. The very determined thief (if they know what they are doing and the cause of their sudden plight) may cut the hydraulic pipework, but will then be driving with no brakes at all other than handbrake which as we know is risky with a transmission brake.

With no clutch and siezed brakes it's a fair chance they will walk away, unless they have a hiab, or flatbed with a very strong winch!

If you park in a regular place with a mecklock fitted, it's best to find a space that is difficult for a hiab or flatbed to access, so if they try to move your vehicle to ease lifting the mecklock will seriously frustrate their efforts.

At over £400 it's not a cheap option + a couple of hours fitting time, but it is effective and compares well on cost with the electronic options.

Also where the "key" is usually fitted on a Defender it is hard to spot, so they don't have a clue about it until they try to move.

The biggest drawback is remembering to remove the key when parking up but it only takes a few seconds. Being non electronic is probably an asset, especially in far away places with little technical backup, so a useful secutity device on an expedition.

Construction and use regulations (brakes) should be considered if using the brake option as I believe there is no clear ruling. However the "normal driving" phrase does give some lattitude. (stealing a vehicle is not normal driving) The lawyers would have a field day with this one.

Also where do the insurance companies stand on anti-theft brake immobilisation security. I doubt they would give extra discount for such a simple solution.

John

[simonr]

What about adding front & rear flashing blue lights?

That's sure to get it pulled double quick! Kind of like a silent alarm.

Si

[headhunter]

What about adding front & rear flashing blue lights?

That's sure to get it pulled double quick! Kind of like a silent alarm.

Si

Simon

Do you have a design in mind?

John

[Paul Humphreys]

Mine is never locked, I have left the keys in it as well. There is an immobiliser switch hidden on it, but I only found it by accident and the previouse owner did not even know about it.

YOU WOULDNT LEAVE THE FRONT DOOR OF YOUR HOUSE OPEN ALL NIGHT WOULD YOU!!!!!!!!

Over to the forum then!!!!

Well YES, I have left the keys in the front door more than once and they were still there the next day.

Paul

[selectcase]

Dogs preferably a collie & german sheperd & security lights -

No -one can even walk past on the road without themgoing balistic and the collie sleeps with one ear up. the front drive lights up like a circus as well - mind you i live in a rural area. this is fine for night time then rely on nosy neighbours in the daytime which works well if you get on with everyone.

[v8bertha]

When we had the Scooby we were told not to bother with a tracker simply because of where we live. Being so near to the docks, chances are it'll be stolen to order and before the police can be ar5ed to investigate the tracker signal, the car is in a container and the signal is lost

I like Mr Rafferty's idea about having some blue flashing lights, discreetly wired in via a switch so that they flash like buggery when the engine is started... mind you, I'd probably leave 'em on!!

[Andy]

i go for the visual deterrents, if they really want your car they will have it. make the car impossible to nick & you'll wake up to a shotgun & demands for the keys.

my heap looks like a pile of junk, left one door unlocked for a few days when i was working on it (by accident) and it didnt get touched.

[freeagent]

i have considered a tracker; what happened, did they disconnect it?

daan

they don't need to disconnect it if the police cannot be arsed to go and investigate it.

trakker network were informed within an hour of the truck getting stolen, they picked up a signal, which they then pass to the police... thats where trakker networks job ends....

which is fine but nobody tells you that recovery of your vehicle relys on the plod going to investigate a signal and following it up.

the trakker signal can only be detected from up to 6 miles away, and is blocked by high buildings, dense forest or even hilly ground.

if you park it in an inner city estate, surrounded by high buildings- its useless.

this info came from a mate who is a MET copper....

when i phoned to local police station, 48 hours after the truck was stolen, the response was "if we happen to come across it, we'll let you know" and "we are understaffed"

half an hour later i popped into work, and saw four coppers asleep in a vauxhall astra hidden-up on our industrial estate....

...not realy what i'd been hoping for... i thought it might be like those 'police, camera action' programmes, with the police chasing stolen cars with helicopters..

i've since been reliably informed by the above mentioned mate that 2 other defenders were nicked in our area that week, and the local pikeys are suspected of being behind it, which explains why the police did nowt about it (we have big probs with pikeys 'round here, they're proper gangster types)

i'm going to go with the mobile phone tracking idea when i get around to it, but the disclok seams like a good deterent..... and i've got the 'lecky imobiliser aswell....

[Paul64]

Dogs preferably a collie & german sheperd & security lights -

No -one can even walk past on the road without themgoing balistic and the collie sleeps with one ear up. the front drive lights up like a circus as well - mind you i live in a rural area. this is fine for night time then rely on nosy neighbours in the daytime which works well if you get on with everyone.

I have a Golden retriever. He would remain asleep even if King Kong came round for a cup of tea. If he did wake up, slobber would be the biggest deterrent!

[Lewis]

i go for the visual deterrents, if they really want your car they will have it. make the car impossible to nick & you'll wake up to a shotgun & demands for the keys.

Agreed, a friend of mine is into moderately quick cars and some years ago when he had a Saphire Cosworth he came back from the pub to find a gang of heavys in the house threatening his Mum and Dad with a baseball bat (IIRC) to get the keys to the Cosworth, upon being rumbled they threw a TV at my mate and scarpered. You can bet they were more heavily armed at the next house they visited