little-ginge

Haven't heard of this way of breaking into cars before, and thought a general heads up might be appropriate - but especially for those around the HighWycombe/Bucks areas.

My fiances mate stepped out of his house yesterday morning to have a cigarette, and noticed that the doors to his wifes car were all flung open.

He went back inside and blamed her for leaving the car unlocked the night before, and said that someone had been through her vehicle.

They went back outside, and he noticed that his sports car and a neighbours car were in a similar condition... there was no mark on his wife's car or the neighbours, but his car door had been jimmied.

He phoned Thames Valley Police, and was told that in the past 5 days they have had nearly 130 similar incidents reported. Apparently whoever is carrying out these jobs has a device which completely overrides the cars electrical system, which causes the alarm to shut off, and the windows to lower - allowing quick, easing access without leaving a mark on the vehicle. They sent out a forensic team to see to the sports car in case they left any prints... but I'm guessing they won'tget far with that..

When he tried to go to work later, the car wouldn't start - it also completely kills the engine

I never leave anything of value on show in the car... but it seems they will take what ever is around so never leave anything on show - no matter how worthless to you it is, it may be worth something to them.

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

Sounds a bit dodgy to me.. the window motors are on a phsycial switch ... nothing externally could make them drop.. unless its part of an auto close system already installed on the car ???

little-ginge

I honestly don't know Pimmo.. I only know what my other half has been told

Turbohot

Thanks for the warning, LG.
Not that I live in that area, but who knows when they strike here............

Did they take anything that might have tempted them to break into the cars?

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

I don't doubt you at all !!

I just don't understand how it works ... thanks for the post though

little-ginge

Hey TH

I'm not sure exactly what was taken - but for so many incidents to happen in 5 days, it's seems whatever it is they have, and how ever they are carrying it out, they have cottoned on to a pretty nifty way of earning some easy cash

little-ginge

i did'nt think you did ... I will ask him though, as I'm pretty shoite at most things mechanical, so wouldn't have the foggiest

v5 man

iTrader: (4)

Were any of the cars who`s windows had been lowered by any chance VW or Audi?

little-ginge

Hiya Cliff



No other info other than what I have been told actually happened so the only car i do know about was the one which was jimmied - it was a beamer..

A.

fast bloke

So it opens the doors and kills the engine - What they gonna do? Steal all the rubbish you leave on the floor?


p.s. - You can open any car in a few seconds if you have a general idea of how locks work. Getting it started is a whole other game

v5 man

iTrader: (4)

I remember back in about 2001 when I had my MK4 Golf V5, lots of owners were being broken into the same way, windows dropped and alarms disabled and I know how too. I also know the prevention for it but obviously dont want to blurt it out on a public forum

little-ginge

It's amazing what you can make with lots of sweet wrappers

It may be easy getting in to a car, but is it just as easy to kill the alarm?? This way, there is no alarm, no breaking in noise to alert people...

I don't know - I was only passing on what we have been told - I would want someone to warn me...

little-ginge

Hiring a hitman?

fast bloke

You can open any Golf with a <ahem ahem ahem> and a sharp <ahem> - Apparently Renault causes the most grief to would be scum, as all the electronics are situated in such a way that the <ahem method> is unneffective. Her indoors has an 06 BM, the AA, RAC and BM customer service couldn't open the doors when the battery died. My 85 318 can be opened if you fart in the correct method

mart360

Afaik,

how would said device talk to the ecu? most flashing of s/w ?ecu

interrogation requires a physical connection the the eobd(sp) port to make any handshake / protocol transfer.

That said, it can be done in other ways but still needs something to access the ecu.

It would be foobarred on my car,

unless its capable of winding down 4 manual windows

Mart

Shark Man

...Or BMW's?

The amount of times I've inadvertantly lowered the down the windows by plonking my fat **** on one of the remote locking buttons when the keys were in my back pocket

Anyhoo OP seems a bit like your typical e-mail hoaxes, often found on snoaps. ~But seeing its LG, I would have hoped she's a little more 'net savvy than most

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

LOL a device that makes the windows electric first !! thats cool

hectic

Still get the occasional outbreak of it, altho most drivers that browse the forums have fitted the relevant precautions now

little-ginge

Sharky!!

It definately happened - it's one of my fiances work mates... he's a pretty genuine kinda guy... so I'd say it's a pretty safe bet it's true - if it is a fib, I'll kick his ****

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

so how does it work then? If this has been around since 2001 any car thief will already know the method...its just us poor mugs in the street that are the ones who will be caught out.

Leslie

Its a bit of a worry-especially if you have to replace the ECU as well!

Les

PaulC72

Good heads up always worth knowing however I thnk the morale being don't leave anything on view in the car or any sucker marks from sat navs etc on the windscreen.

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

Well, I was told how this method works via PM. If the PM was right then there should be no way it screws up the ECU.

There has to be more to it if the ECU is getting fried at the same time.