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.

[BenK]

Doug...search : USB RF receiver transmitter

You will find tons of RF products

[Fordlover]

Grit dog wrote:
Early super dutys are super easy to break into and more importantly the only trucks I think that weren't chipped keys in the early 2000s.
Could start my 03 with a screwdriver after jimmy ing in with a coat hanger in about 30 sec. When it was stolen I had to jam a new screwdriver in the ignition when I recovered it. They took theirs and all mine in the tool box lol. I used to leave a coat hanger in the back for when I locked my keys in rather than a hidden spare key
Not sure what year ford finally chipped the ignition keys on the super dutys.

2008. That is why the 2007 and earlier Superduty is so popular to steal. Here in Texas, police say the stolen trucks get taken over the border into Mexico. Ford made a whole bunch of the 1999 to 2007 Superduty trucks, so they are everywhere.

[deltabravo]

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...

I've never seen a laptop with an RF transmitter to send out signals....

[STANG23L]

I will no longer use soft toneau covers. A friend with one had his tailgate locked and they just slit the cover open and took what they wanted.

So now I run an aluminum tri-fold cover. It should at least slow them down!

[JAC1982]

With my last vehicle, I was hoping someone would either steal it or hit and total it while it was parked (so I didn't get injured) so I didn't have to deal with getting rid of it LOL! It was a recent model year (2013) but really high miles so getting rid of it was a pain.

Even now, I have a brand new vehicle, and if it got stolen, boo hoo for a minute, then I'd drive the rental around for a month and just go get another one.

[Grit_dog]

1jeep wrote:
I finally agree with Perrysburg on something!

Ford will build me another truck, if you want it just please make certain I don't get it back! This once happened to me with a jeep, it was recovered and the inside was destroyed, vehicle was never the same after insurance fixed it.

Amen, and if I got it back with any more wear n tear other than a little joyride, I'd make sure it was totaled before calling the ins co to come assess it!
Be a different story if it was a classic muscle car or something, but 15 year old F250s are just that.....run of the mill 15 year old trucks. Although I'll still give a nod to the 7.3.
If you have one of them, pull the engine before the insurance guy comes over, tell him they stole the motor too and find a cheap 6.0 in good shape (easy to find) and stuff that 7.3 in front of a torqshift!

[1jeep]

I finally agree with Perrysburg on something!

Ford will build me another truck, if you want it just please make certain I don't get it back! This once happened to me with a jeep, it was recovered and the inside was destroyed, vehicle was never the same after insurance fixed it.

[NJRVer]

I had a '99 Ram that was the first vehicle I owned with power locks.
I was constantly locking the keys in it.

Luckily it came with roadside assistance as part of the warranty.
They would send out a locksmith to open it for me.

With his tool he could open the truck faster than I could with the key.

[Perrysburg_Dodg]

OK it's only a truck not your loved ones! Mine is sitting in the parking lot come and get it, that is why I have insurance with a 250 deductible.

This statement makes me laugh "We have driven 400-600 miles looking for our truck," Ragland said. "Kind of heartbreaking." If it were me, I would drive the rental car for the 30 days the insurance company waits before paying off on a stolen vehicle (been there done that) and order a new truck!

Now if you have tools like I did back in 1987 you had better make sure you cover then with a rider policy or you will be SOL. I lost well over $1500 in tools when they stole my little Jimmy S15 pick up :M. Then to add insult to injury the insurance company tried to say that I was using my truck as a "Commercial vehicle" and they where not going to cover it. Luckily I was working at a machine shop nights and doing remodel work on the side for extra cash. So they had to pay up!

As for Rams keyless entry systems if I lock my Ram with it running and the fob in my pocket, then someone opens the door. The trucks alarm will sound and shut down the engine. I tried this to make sure. I rolled down the drivers window, got out of the truck and pushed the lock button on the door handle. Then put the fob in the back bedroom of our home (won't work from there) and reached in and opened the door with the inside door handle. Yep the truck shut down the alarm went off the lights flashed and I went running inside to get the key fob!

They also can not just reprogram a new key fob! If you loss your key fob and do not have the other one the dealer or a locksmith MUST contact FCA and provide proof that you are the owner to get an activation code for the vehicle to accept the new key fob! You must have a copy of the title or memorandum title, picture ID showing your address the full vin number and it has to come back to YOU! If you do not have those three things the dealer or locksmith will not get the activation code and the vehicle will not I repeat will not accept the new Key Fob.

Now if you do not have the factory security then all the thief needs to do is pick the ignition lock and away they go. Took the locksmith 7 minutes total to make me a new key for my boat! And $130 bucks, I still have not figured out where I put the two sets of keys for safe keeping lol.

[Bedlam]

Things like this are why I avoided wireless connectivity in my trucks:

https://www.wired.com/2016/08/oh-good-new-hack-can-unlock-100-million-volkswagens/

[3oaks]

ken56 wrote:
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.

How true. And make sure you have good insurance coverage.

[Grit_dog]

Early super dutys are super easy to break into and more importantly the only trucks I think that weren't chipped keys in the early 2000s.
Could start my 03 with a screwdriver after jimmy ing in with a coat hanger in about 30 sec. When it was stolen I had to jam a new screwdriver in the ignition when I recovered it. They took theirs and all mine in the tool box lol. I used to leave a coat hanger in the back for when I locked my keys in rather than a hidden spare key
Not sure what year ford finally chipped the ignition keys on the super dutys.

[trailerbikecamp]

One of the things that is starting is vehice, ransoms. The "thieves" hack the dealer network and download a virus onto the onboard computer. The virus can be activated remotely somehow. The victim then receives either a text, email or phone call saying that fee will have to be paid to "release" the vehicle.

These are the new keyless entry (fob) type of vehicle.

The vehicle is essentially stolen, but still sitting in your driveway. How do you tell the police that your vehicle has been hijacked, but its still in the driveway?

[SoCalDesertRid1]

Tiger02 wrote:
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.

On my old body Fords, I pull the diode for the engine computer, in the main power box. Without that, they can crank and crank all day long with the starter but the engine will never fire.