Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ellis]

Short of owning a "Temple of Doom" garage, which is the "best" way of securing your classic against theft?
If a thief is intent on stealing your classic then little will stop him or her.

It appears to me that there are two ways of at least making an attempt to secure your car - electronic or mechanical.

Electronic alarms or tracking devices appear promising but thieves no longer wear striped tops, wear eye bands or carry bags on their shoulders with the word "swag" on them. They come equipped now with jammers to mask or shut off tracking systems and you can be sure that they will know all about any and every alarm system.

The Land Rover Defender is one of the most stolen cars in the UK whether "to order" or for dismantling and the general consensus among Land Rover forums is that the only precaution you can take will only slow the thief from spiriting away another Green Oval product.
Clutch or steering wheel devices are now childsplay with battery operated angle grinders or simply brute force to overcome "visible" measures.

I read on one forum about the case of a multi after market alarmed Vauxhall Astra GTE. It was taken one evening and the enterprising thief had removed all the systems and left them on the drive before moving the car parked in front of the Astra and parking it neatly where the Astra had been.

Is there anything we can do short of leaving a ferocious dog inside the vehicle as a guard?
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Starting Handle Expert

1964 Jaguar Mark 2 3.4 litre
1962 Land Rover Series 2a 88"
2002 BMW M3 E46 Cabriolet

[Da Tow'd]

I have a hidden Night Switch on each of our various vehicles.
Switches the negative battery wire. So all the electrics are open and it should be dead in the street.
That might slow a thief down but they still could be hauled off with a trailer or truck.
Hank

[Ronniej]

Security problems are, of course, nothing new but the advent of battery powered angle grinders have made the stout padlock and chain much less of a protection.
Anyone who had a Ford back in the ‘70s will recall the totally inadequate locks that could be opened with a nailfile.
In the early ‘70s I bought a mint Corsair 2000E following a long spell of O/T with the help of a substantial hire purchase commitment.
The car was stolen and badly damaged only a few weeks later.
I later had a Cortina 1600E and this also proved attractive to the light fingered brigade who probably wanted it for the Rostyle wheels and other goodies.
When leaving it overnight I would swap over plug leads 1 & 2. The engine would start (just) but had no power. I was wakened by the Police in the early hours one night to learn they had apprehended two youths trying to drive the car away. Their attention had been drawn to the car by the kangaroo progress but they had managed to move it several hundred yards which either speaks volumes for their determination or stupidity.
I recall reading of a man who rigged up a device on his Sierra Cosworth that administered an electric shock to anyone tampering with it. The law took a dim view of this which is probably correct but I must say I have sympathy with him.
These days I am also concerned over my trailer. It is tucked away in a lock up with a hitch lock and a couple of stout chains. I have also recorded the chassis number and have stamped my name and post code in several places in the frame.
These measures do not guarantee it will not be stolen but it may make it a less attractive prospect.

[ukdave2002]

I recall a comment my Grandfather made; he thought that when manufacturers started fitting steering locks that this would eliminate car theft !

I think there are 2 sorts of theft:

1) Opportunist; who will be put off by modest security measures.
2) Targeted; they will have planned the theft so will be reading for any eventuality much more difficult to protect against.

My boss had his £90K 3 month old Range Rover nicked in broad daylight in our office car park, he had the key less entry option that has been subject to cloning with software that should only be available to the dealer. He never saw that car again....I take delight in reminding him that he paid extra for the key less system!

There have been cases recently where cars have been stripped of parts on owners drives, the owner wakes up to a shell on bricks!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-33348506

Dave

[peter scott]

Trackers are cheap to buy and almost free to operate with the right network operator.

Peter
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https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[camembert]

I agree with Dave - there's not much you can do to deter the professionally planned theft.

For the opportunist / yob element, almost anything will help to put them off and look for an easier target - even dummy cameras, security stickers etc. Just make it difficult for them and they'll probably go elsewhere.

The best deterrent in my view is the means to catch and prosecute the criminal and the threat of punishment - not just for car theft. But that's another politically charged debate.
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MG Magnette 1934

[ajlelectronics]

I did design a security system decades ago that worked well....

It was a simple astable timer, set for thirty seconds or so. It was wired across the points or in series with the coil feed. The idea of it is to make the scrote think that it is an unreliable old banger as the car will keep stalling. Result is that the car should be abandoned as not worth it.
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Evans Waterless Coolants
Find this and more at http://www.classicmicrocars.com
Sat TV / Aerial systems etc: http://www.ajlelectronics.co.uk

[D4B]

[Ray White]

My neighbour has a valuable collection of classic cars (including a Ferrari Testarossa) and he has all his garages alarmed with direct connection to the local police station. What this little set up must cost I don't know but it probably doesn't worry him. The local villain (well known to the Police) had an idea. He took the opportunity when it arose to break into the house and steal all the car keys! Fortunately, the break in was detected quickly. The inconvenience and cost of changing all the door and ignition locks on all the cars was not inconsiderable.

For my part, my property is bristling with the latest CCTV cameras. The system has worked for me. On one occasion the police came knocking at my door claiming that a car like mine had been witnessed being involved in a crime. Fortunately, I had CCTV evidence of my car coming up my drive at the time the crime was supposed to have been committed 150 miles away!. Someone had cloned my car.

[Rick]

I wonder how much these are a deterrent?



RJ
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[Ray White]

[Rootes75]

Our dog should put any would be thieves off but if someone is that determined nothing will put them off.
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Various Rootes Vehicles.

[peppiB]

[christine lowery]

I have a baby alarm fitted in the garage its 2 way and I can hear them before they get in the garage I can pop on my outside light and say
THIS IS THE VOICE OF THE MISTERONS works wonders
Christine

[peter scott]