Prevent theft from car

[manning]

I got this from a friend and thought I would pass it on:

It is very troubling what lengths people will go to steal something! Most of the time I lock my car on the door lock inside when I exit the car. Little did I know that that is the best way to lock your car, according to what a friend sent me on the internet. Read on……

THIS HAS BEEN CHECKED ON SNOPES; I personally checked with the local police and they confirmed that this was happening.

While traveling, my friend stopped at the roadside reststop with bathrooms, vending machines, etc. He came out to his car less than 4-5 minutes later and found someone had gotten into his car, and stolen his cell phone, laptop computer, GPS navigator, briefcase.....you name it.

He called the police and since there were no signs of his car being broken into- the police told him that there is a device that robbers are using now to clone your security code when you lock your doors on your car using your key-chain locking device (transmitter). They sit a distance away and watch for their next victim. Since they know you are going inside of the store, restaurant, or bathroom, it gives them a few minutes to steal and run. The police officer said to be sure to manually lock your car door by hitting the lock button inside the car, that way if there is someone sitting in a parking lot watching for their next victim, it will not be you.

When you hit the lock button on your car upon exiting...it does not send the security code, but if you walk away and use the door lock on your key chain- it sends the code thru the airwaves where it can be stolen.

I just wanted to let you know about this...it is something totally new to us...and this is real...it just happened this past Thursday.

So be aware of this and please pass this note on...look how many times we all lock our doors with our keys (transmitters)...just to be sure we remembered to lock them....and bingo the guys have our code...and whatever was in the car...can be gone.

Keep safe everyone!

EDIT by Tech Support: Note, the information presented in this posting is not true, as reported by Snopes. (See post #5) Feel free to browse through the posts in this thread, but remember this initial post contains false information.

 

[ROIE01581]

my husband thinks i am crazy to lock the doors by the button instead of the key lock. But I guess i am not crazy any more.

 

[Serena]

That's how I do it too.

 

[GeorgeG]

Or, you can leave the meanest, nastiest dog you can find in the car... with the windows open a bit and a bowl of cold water, of course.

Since I don't have a dog and the cats are not very fierce, I'll have to go with using the inside lock from now on. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[phamton]

THIS HAS BEEN CHECKED ON SNOPES

Apparently it wasn't checked on snopes as, snopes.com says it is false.
http://www.snopes.com/autos/techno/lockcode.asp

 

[DawnCt1]

I lock it with the door lock too. Never knew why. Now I know.

 

[GoodFairies]

The kind of people that are desperate enough to break into a car for something are usually the kind that just go in through the (broken) window.

My driver's seat door doesn't lock from the inside and can only be locked from the key on the outside or the keylock device. It is to prevent locking keys in the car, which is virtually impossible with my car.

The better advice, since Snopes has proven this false, is not to leave any valuables in plain sight.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Urban legend, thanks Snopes! Anytime I get an e-mail that says "this has been checked on Snopes" I immediately see red flags as this almost always means it has not been checked and is an urban legend. Thieves have many ways to steal cars. You should be more worried about thieves stealing your VIN (vehicle identification number). Cars with encrypted keys are vulnerable to this. (And this really does happen according to Snopes, but it is very, very rare). Thieves get your VIN, get a copy of your key, and voila, no more car! However, this very rarely happens (it takes a lot of time and money to get an encrypted key made). Any time you get a warning email about some new crime plot, it is most likely an urban legend. If it is not an urban legend, the chances of it happening to you are probably slim to none. It's just scaremongering.

 

[creativeamanda]

Urban legend, thanks Snopes! Anytime I get an e-mail that says "this has been checked on Snopes" I immediately see red flags as this almost always means it has not been checked and is an urban legend. Thieves have many ways to steal cars. You should be more worried about thieves stealing your VIN (vehicle identification number). Cars with encrypted keys are vulnerable to this. (And this really does happen according to Snopes, but it is very, very rare). Thieves get your VIN, get a copy of your key, and voila, no more car! However, this very rarely happens (it takes a lot of time and money to get an encrypted key made). Any time you get a warning email about some new crime plot, it is most likely an urban legend. If it is not an urban legend, the chances of it happening to you are probably slim to none. It's just scaremongering.

That's weird. . .I don't see how they could get an encrypted key made with the newest cars. I had to get another key made for my '08 Focus and had to take the car to the dealership. A car's computer has to be programmed now to accept a new key.

I'd be more worried about people popping locks the way AAA popped my Explorer's when dh locked the keys inside. It took them less than 2 minutes.

 

[Talking Hands]

Urban legend, thanks Snopes! Anytime I get an e-mail that says "this has been checked on Snopes" I immediately see red flags as this almost always means it has not been checked and is an urban legend. Thieves have many ways to steal cars. You should be more worried about thieves stealing your VIN (vehicle identification number). Cars with encrypted keys are vulnerable to this. (And this really does happen according to Snopes, but it is very, very rare). Thieves get your VIN, get a copy of your key, and voila, no more car! However, this very rarely happens (it takes a lot of time and money to get an encrypted key made). Any time you get a warning email about some new crime plot, it is most likely an urban legend. If it is not an urban legend, the chances of it happening to you are probably slim to none. It's just scaremongering.

We were visiting our friend in NC and she had lost her keys so needed a new set. Her son's girlfriend went to the dealer to get a set for her with the VIN# and registration for the car. NO GO. We had to drive her down to Winston-Salem and she had to show her driver's license and registration before they would make the keys. Hopefully all dealerships are this careful.

 

[sorcerormickey]

My driver's seat door doesn't lock from the inside and can only be locked from the key on the outside or the keylock device. It is to prevent locking keys in the car, which is virtually impossible with my car

That's how ours is too.

 

[Becky2005]

That's one way I never have to worry about my car being stolen. I don't have an automatic lock -- you physically CAN'T lock the car with anything except pushing the button down on the inside or using the key on the outside.

You can't unlock it either...you have to actually use the key. I don't have automatic windows either, which has made for some really interesting situations now with people expecting me to be able to roll down the passenger side window from the driver's seat. Not possible.

As said prior -- if they *really* want whatever, they will break the window and be done with it.

 

[Shutterbug]

Just get yourself a Trunk Monkey:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8avOiTUcD4Y

at 1:55 mark

 

[Charade]

Just get yourself a Trunk Monkey:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8avOiTUcD4Y

at 1:55 mark

 

[Serena]

That reminds me, about 10 years ago there was a van in a mall parking lot about christmas time. Someone tried to break into the van and got a nasty surprise. There was a cat in the van, not the purring lay around the couch variety, oh no, this was the one swipe and your face fell off in stripes variety.
There was a big bruhaha about it. I don't remember exactly, but apparently they thought it wasn't legal or something.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

That's weird. . .I don't see how they could get an encrypted key made with the newest cars. I had to get another key made for my '08 Focus and had to take the car to the dealership. A car's computer has to be programmed now to accept a new key.

I'd be more worried about people popping locks the way AAA popped my Explorer's when dh locked the keys inside. It took them less than 2 minutes.

Like I said, it is very rare (I think the people it has happened to have been delaereships.) As Snopes explained, you have to take the VIN and a copy of the registration to the dealership and then wait a week. Car thieves are victims of opportunity. As far as I know this has never happenedto a private citizen, although I'm sure there's always a first. It's not something I worry about.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

As Snopes explained, what is described in the OP does not happen with new cars because they do not use one code, they use a randomized code. It is theoretically possible for a thief to have technology that can crunch numbers, but it would take at least an hour or more and they would only be able to steal what was in the car- not drive it. It's not worth their time or money. Most thieves can get into your car (yes, even new ones) with a coat hanger. Keys do not have to be encrypted to open a car, only to drive it.

I have broken into a car before. My mother was notorious for locking her keys in her car and she used to have a canvas top Tracker. One day at the mall she locked the keys in the car and unzipped the top portion of the window. Being the smaller one I had to climb on the tire then jump through the top part of the window in the middle of the mall parking lot. We later discovered that she can unzip the bottom half from the outside and just reach in and unlock. A trick she used to her advantage many times.

 

[bumbershoot]

Apparently it wasn't checked on snopes as, snopes.com says it is false.
http://www.snopes.com/autos/techno/lockcode.asp

Urban legend, thanks Snopes! Anytime I get an e-mail that says "this has been checked on Snopes" I immediately see red flags as this almost always means it has not been checked and is an urban legend.

And that's how about half of the emails my stepdad forwards to me start.

 

[#1hockeymom]

Like I said, it is very rare (I think the people it has happened to have been delaereships.) As Snopes explained, you have to take the VIN and a copy of the registration to the dealership and then wait a week. Car thieves are victims of opportunity. As far as I know this has never happenedto a private citizen, although I'm sure there's always a first. It's not something I worry about.

PATS Passive Anti Theft System:

When you lose your keys you have to have it towed into the dealership. They can cut the key instantly and then it has to be programmed. The programming takes 20 minutes to a half hour. This is for Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury. GM is similar.

Obviously, this is if you LOSE your keys and need a set to drive with. If you locked your keys in the car there are numerous ways to get in.

 

[manning]

Looks like I've been had on that one. I just looked at snoops and it looks like the earlier models had one code and has since gone to rolling codes like garage door openers.