Stolen Defender 90 from Sussex 26/4/16

[mickeyw]

I'm posting this on behalf of a good friend.

Today this Land Rover was stolen from our house in Sheffield Park East Sussex, sometime late morning 26/4/16

Reg number B767JSX

Specific detail on this truck, as it is very bespoke and distinctive.

It's a 1985 90 in Eastnor Green with 200Tdi on a short bellhousing R380 box.

Full canvas top.
Wheels fitted at the time of theft were 285/75R16 BFG Mud Terrains on black 8-spoke rims.
Warn 8274 with green plasma rope.
NAS style rear bumper/tow bar.
Mantec spare wheel carrier attached to a side hinged tail gate.
Techno cloth trimmed Defender seats.
Genuine LR cubby box with the lock missing.
Military type sliding door tops, one painted cream and one painted black.

As ever, please keep your eyes peeled, and contact me via PM if you have any leads.

Thank you.

[Yostumpy]

what additional security did they have fitted ?

[Lewis]

This ^^^^

I'd like to know what works and what doesn't

[Disco-Ron]

Not much will ultimately deter them. ... they appear to be going missing in threes. Probably due to three fitting in a 40ft container for shipping!

[Bushpig110]

Hi It was my 90, security was it was parked on Private land some 1/4 of a mile off the road, Gates locked and could not be seen from the road, footpath, bridleway ,

So the only way they knew it was there was being where they shouldn't be, That said I know only to well the dangers and should have done more

[simonr]

Not much will ultimately deter them. ... they appear to be going missing in threes. Probably due to three fitting in a 40ft container for shipping!

There is no one, foolproof security measure. All of them can be defeated - and I mean All. Each just takes time to bypass / defeat. The more time it takes, or looks likely to take, the lower the chance it has of being stolen. Thus, one of them being bypassed does not mean it's no good - just that it took less time than the thieves had to defeat it.

What would be more use is knowing how long it takes to defeat. While I'm not an expert in stealing vehicles, I have years of experience breaking stuff . Each of the X-Eng products (no this isn't an advert) was tested, and adapted to take as long as possible.

The pedal lock took me 15 mins without power tools (but with an intricate knowledge of how it works) and 7 mins and 3 x 1mm cutting disks using a cutter - but it was noisy as hell.

The barrel protector needed a cold chisel or disk cutter - both noisy and about 2 mins. You can force the steering wheel - but on mine it re-locked on the first corner so this is probably not best practice.

The Gear lock took 3 mins but only 10 sec to cut off the gearstick with a disk cutter.

Thus with all three it buys you 20 mins without, or 9 mins with power tools. It's likely that a 'professional' could halve the no-power-tools times - so they probably give you 10 mins either way.

I destroyed another two makes of pedal lock. Both took a similar time - so there's not a lot to call it between those available. Alarms & immobilisers are mostly easy - and quiet to defeat.

I've read that every 2 mins halves the chances of a vehicle being stolen.

I feel sorry for BushPig110 (He's my friend!). Whatever help I can offer to stop it happening again - you got it!

Si

[Snagger]

Sadly, while Bushpig's remote location makes the car less visible to thieves in the first place, once they know it's there, it also makes the thieves less visible to police and passers by while they get around any security measures. It is well evidenced that Defenders are targeted by gangs who will spot a candidate and follow it, so keep an eye out for cars, vans or bikes following you; it means you're next on the list (literally).

[simonr]

This is something I've been very aware of since I owned a Quad. (I don't any more). I lead a white van all around the houses on my way home once - until they either got bored, or realised I was playing with them!

Si

[Disco-Ron]

Back when i had my brand new impreza I always used to keep my eyes in the mirror.... came home some very indirect ways a few times!

[Lewis]

That's a very interesting post Simon, thank you for taking the time to give that information

[simonr]

Lewis, I started thinking the same as you - I'd find what works & what doesn't by looking at what was fitted to stolen vehicles. But after researching it, I increasingly concluded that the results didn't tell you anything useful!

Another interesting observation is that two devices that take 1 minute to defeat (for example) gives more 'protection' than one that takes 2 minutes. The probable reason is that if you have spent 1 minute breaking something, spending another minute doesn't feel as bad as having to start over on a new problem. Thus the more simple, cheap precautions you have, the better - better than spending the same money on one expensive one.

Si

[CwazyWabbit]

When fitting security to a Defender it's normally possible to see how to bypass it, it's just as Simon says make sure the time taken to defeat it all means they'll look elsewhere.

I have direct experience of that actually being the case as one evening a few years ago someone made 3 attempts to steal my 110, gave up and went around the corner and stole a different 4x4.

[CwazyWabbit]

Bushpig110 sorry to hear of your loss mate

[Disco-Ron]

Security against a vehicle being taken is pointless if they don't even attempt to even open the vehicle. A video posted on fb last week showed a d2 being stolen. winched onto a flatbed. They made no attempt to open it. I guess they do that when they have time and security on their side......

[CwazyWabbit]

I don't think it's pointless, it's just not effective against 100% of criminals in all situations. It is however effective against some criminals in some situations.

[02GF74]

Interesting all devices mentioned are mechanucal, what about a hidden or remote controlled connection to the fuel pump, ok if it is not electrical, an electrcally operated valve in the fuel line, place where it is not easy to get to?

[miketomcat]

The bottom line I think is if they want it they will take it and nothing and I mean nothing will stop them. But making the one round the corner look easier/less tricky than yours is all you can do, then hope they take someone else's not yours.

Some security devices and parking it in a way that is difficult to get to but easily seen by passers by is our only hope in my opinion.

Mike

[simonr]

Security against a vehicle being taken is pointless if they don't even attempt to even open the vehicle. A video posted on fb last week showed a d2 being stolen. winched onto a flatbed. They made no attempt to open it. I guess they do that when they have time and security on their side......

That's true in some cases. However, from the info I received, less than 20% of vehicles are stolen using a trailer / hiab and on the whole they are specific vehicles stolen to order.

Thus by adding some security, you can potentially reduce the chances by a factor of 5. In practice it's better than that because if your vehicle has not been specifically targeted, they will go after the vehicle that's easiest to steal.

The more people feel it's pointless, the better! It reduces the chances of mine getting nicked!

Si

[Snagger]

The best deterrent is for the vehicle to be undesirable. That means in a poor state, so perhaps those who don't mind dents and bad paint are the wise ones. I'm too fussy and like mine tidy, but I have the position of having an old, obsolete model that discourages the Defender thief, and it's too buggered about with for the classic thief. That doesn't make it immune, but it helps.

[CwazyWabbit]

Mine has dents in every panel but they've still tried twice.

[Farmerfred]

I don't think looks or condition really matter that much, tidy or a complete dog, it's the value in it's sum total of parts is what they're after. Some might say 'why nick a vehicle for its parts when you can buy the parts very cheap?', the answer to that is why buy the parts when you can potentially get them for nothing? Having said that, any vehicle is a potential target for thieves, high end expensive ones and newer ones are taken to order or for shipping out and for parting out, genuine parts for the higher end are more expensive which makes these vehicles doubly desirable whereas the older vehicles are more likely to be just parted out. No matter how sophisticated vehicle security gets eventually the thief will find a way around it. I myself believe that the best way to prevent it being taken is to block it in, a tractor is good for that.

[CwazyWabbit]

Of course that then depends on how secure the tractor is ....

[Lewis]

Given that most start with a Lucas key I'd say not at all

[Disco-Ron]

Maybe I used the wrong word when I said pointless. .....

In my area two weeks ago there defenders were stolen.

#1 aS a tricked up lockers winch and mach 5's fitted 200tdi...

#2 was a '10' plate standard 90.....

#3 was a beaten up 90 that would look at home on a farm.....

Very little similarities between the three....

Mine is locked away with a vehicle blocking it in..... it has two electronic immobilization type systems.....

And the garage is alarmed. ...

[Ozzy50]

I often use my tractor to block in vehicles,trailers ,plant etc and I make it totally dead ,it would take some moving and a lot of work to start it however if some scumbag is determined it can be very hard to stop them ,all you can do is try .

James