Truck Theft - on the news last night

[DutchmenSport]

Link, click here.

In case the article gets moved on the web, here's the text. Keep your doors locked and take your keys:

INDIANAPOLIS -- A ring of thieves targeting Ford heavy-duty trucks in Indianapolis shows no signs of slowing down.

Indianapolis police have investigated at least eight thefts of Ford F-150, F-250 and F-350 trucks over the past several weeks.

PREVIOUS | Central Indiana thieves targeting heavy-duty pickups http://www.theindychannel.com/news/local-news/central-indiana-thieves-targeting-heavy-duty-pickups

One of those trucks belonged to Jack Ragland, who has conducted his own searches every day since his vehicle was stolen.

"We have driven 400-600 miles looking for our truck," Ragland said. "Kind of heartbreaking."

In Beech Grove, Jeffrey Wilcher's 1999 Ford F-250 was stolen while he was grocery shopping. Even worse, he received a Facebook message from a lady in Bloomington showing his truck being used to steal another similar truck.

The trucks are popular for thieves because their parts, especially their motors and catalytic converters, are hot commodities.

The majority of recent thefts have involved parked and locked trucks. In one of the most recent cases, the vehicle was taken with the keys inside.

Brand new, Ford heavy-duty trucks can run more than $50,000.

If you have any information about the thefts, contact Crime Stoppers at 262-TIPS.

[spoon059]

wnjj wrote:

BenK wrote:
Made easier by the key-less Fob craze...

Get the VIN number and change the code to a fake fob on their laptop...

Easier? I think punching the lock cylinder and rotating with a screwdriver seems easier.

The easiest and most overlooked is simply towing the vehicle away. If you aren't planning on a joy ride, why bother even starting the engine? If you are towing it, you aren't creating a suspicious enough circumstance that someone would call the police. If you are towing it, you have a valid excuse if you are caught in the act by someone (towing because its a parking violation, have a repo order, someone called and reported it broken down, etc). Tow it back to your shop, strip it and sell parts.

[BenK]

Think about it some more...

Then they have to deal with the starter while the alarm is going and going and going...

If a good alarm, it should have a starter disable function...

But, to each their own...but know if I should purchase another vehicle, whether
new or used...it might have one of these key-less Fobs...and will deal with it
in my own way

Just pointing that out and not arguing...news from all over the
world says it is the fact that it is the way of it...

wnjj wrote:
snip...

Easier? I think punching the lock cylinder and rotating with a screwdriver seems easier.

[wnjj]

BenK wrote:
Made easier by the key-less Fob craze...

Get the VIN number and change the code to a fake fob on their laptop...

All of these high tech and highly integrated computerized stuff is making it much
easier for the baddies out there...albeit they are a bit higher in education required
to operate the laptop and software hack...

Crazy stuff like getting into the vehicle network via an ancillary wireless
thing...as the key-less Fob...and simple things like anything connected via
BlueTooth in/on the vehicle...

Easier? I think punching the lock cylinder and rotating with a screwdriver seems easier.

[BenK]

Made easier by the key-less Fob craze...

Get the VIN number and change the code to a fake fob on their laptop...

All of these high tech and highly integrated computerized stuff is making it much
easier for the baddies out there...albeit they are a bit higher in education required
to operate the laptop and software hack...

Crazy stuff like getting into the vehicle network via an ancillary wireless
thing...as the key-less Fob...and simple things like anything connected via
BlueTooth in/on the vehicle...

[mabynack]

I woke up one morning to find my Honda Accord sitting in the middle of the street instead of in my driveway. Police theorized that the person who tried to steal it didn't know how to drive a standard.

They did over $800 worth of damage trying to pry the radio out of the dash.

[rjstractor]

The late '90s, early 2000s Super Duties are supposedly easy to break into and steal. My dad's was stolen a few years ago (despite it being a manual transmission) but he got it back pretty much unscathed. Newer trucks with smart keys are harder to steal but anything can be stolen.

[Tiger02]

Ravelco

Of course they can always tow it out if they want it bad enough. I guess I'm lucky in that no one wants a 97 2WD, but I have pulled the IDM fuse a few times when parked overnight in sketchy areas.

[ken56]

Yep, not gonna do much to stop it if they want it. Don't be leaving anything in it you don't mind losing .....like a gun.

[GordonThree]

Door locks aren't going to do much to deter an organized gang targeting specific vehicle types.

Look at the Jeep gang in California. The gang had laptops with diagnostic programs and new factory cut keys to pair with their target vehicles.

[blackeyed1]

They are also stealing tailgates off them. Mine was almost taken, but I had put a hose clamp on the pivot point. Stalled them and they left without it.