UHF

Was turning into my road this evening and noticed the car 2 cars behind me also turn in, it then kept about 5 car lengths behind me and adjusted speed to match my speed, i'm paranoid anyway so decided to turn off onto a side turning and guess what, it followed me, so I thought its possible he lives down there, but no, the car carried on following me, but this time kept about 10 car lengths behind and seemed intent on not being seen anymore and seemed to be letting me go!

So i waited a bit at the end of the road i was in and up he came about 20 seconds later, i indicated and pulled onto the main road and off he went in the opposite direction.

This loop took us both back to the main road we'd started on so i'm convinced he followed me! I mean, he drove about 400metres behind me in back streets instead of driving about 20metres on the main road!!!

Very worried i'll wake up to a shotgun or something now!!! There were a load of imprezas stolen at gun point in the area about 4 years ago!!! Was dark and couldnt get reg but I know what kind of car it was, no point telling police as i have no information so I suppose I just have to wait and hope they dont come back.

donutman

do what i have done in the past. dive down the road and just pull onto a empty driveway (and pray they are not in). then when they have drove past bugger off quick

UHF

my road wasnt long enough and i wouldnt put it past current criminals to pull up and try to take it from me there and then!!!

I'll hope it was police, been followed home by an unmarked car before who wanted a word in my ear!!! I asked them to provide the calibration certificate for the speedo on thier unmarked car

w3ird0

dude.. if that ever happens again.. either take a nice FAST drive.. i mean u DO have a scooby... or drive to the closest police station! Easy!

The Fixer

Nip out and unplug the crank / cam sensor, then if they do come back to rob it they'll never start it

Conrad

talizman

iTrader: (1)

If you suspect that it may have been an unmarked car, ask your local station, relaying your concerns.

They should confirm if it was or wasn't... at least it'll put your mind at rest if it was.

UHF

Take a fast drive after i've turned into my road??? I'd rather have my car stolen than have to explain to someone why i'd just mown down thier kids in a built up area at 70mph!!!

I think it was obvious which road the car belongs now though, perhaps I should have gone out and continued in the same direction on the main road and turned down a different road and carried on doing it!!

UHF

@talizman, chances that an unmarked car logging the fact that it had followed me is unlikely isnt it? Ah well, no point worrying!

This thing about keeping your keys with you rather than in the entrance way to your house is utter rubbish IMHO, as if they did break in i'd rather they took keys and went than come up to my room and stick a gun in my face!!!

subarujimmy

iTrader: (3)

I had a bit of a worrying event lastnight, but got a lot of feedback from people on here, and it did seem to help.
If it was me, I'd still report it to the police, at least its been reported if anything was to happen (hope it doesn't).

akshay67

I've had this before, but nothing came of it (incidentially, never pulled into drive before getting rid of them). I'd put my experiences down to people admiring the car or exhaust note of the Scubby.

SUBTYPER

Just shows you have to keep your eyes peeled for the cars following and also how to detect it by making turns and good advice on driving to a place which is nowhere near where you live. I think a few times I have been followed a few times but when you just keep driving and making turns you can soon lose them and also. With friends in the car helps as they can get the reg number and inform the police. My advice would be if you know the make and model of car following and colour still make a report to the Police as they might already have suspicion if its a gang or something that happens alot

pippyrips

try to get the number plate next time - then show him/her a clean pair of heels

SUBTYPER

Only problem of showing hin a clean pair of heels is that if its an unmarked you gonna get knicked and saying youw ere worried about being followed isnt gonna sway his attention for more government funding. Just call the police and tell them you think you are being followed with vehicle registration and normally they will respond with a car to stop the car following you. Alot safer and easier for you and the car.

talizman

iTrader: (1)

UHF
Not really....

If you call your local station and ask if the night shift(?) had 2 officers out in plain clothes in a particular car (you mentioned you knew the make) then they will tell you yay or nay....

If you ask them if they had two guys out in a silver Vectra (for example) and they say "yes" then you can relax. You don't have to rely on the individuals concerned having "recorded" following you.

Either way, if you did track down the officers concerned then yes they probably would remember following a Scooby! I would.

Strider

Report it to the Police!

UHF

Gonna stop by the cop shop first thing in the morning, thanks people, suppose its worth it, who knows, a handful of other people might have had the same and it'll all add up somehow!

Rally

I would report all the facts to the local station too.
They should record the facts on a log and they could be collating all this information to mount an operation.
Where I live in the last week there have been 3 instances of vehicles (different values upto £40k) taken by theives actually breaking into houses and taking the keys, not just hooking them through a letter box.

My opinion is if they have the ***** to break in and demand the keys, take em, otherwise no chance. I say keep them hidden and they will find an easier target where the keys are on view.

NiceCupOfTea

My brother has been followed several times while he's been on the bike. The last time they followed him down a dead end and he just rode through the bollards at the end while they had to stop - bet they felt stupid

Be careful out there...

Moski

hi UHF,

hope it turns out to be nothing and it was the cops!

got thru half the DVD's u sold me!! plus car shuld b out soon

Mo

SPLITTER

i always take my keys up to the bedroom
sounds sad i know but i used to leave keys on the table clearly visible from the front dooor
my advice btw is...get a baseball bat and carry it in the car

talizman

iTrader: (1)

Since a vast number of thefts/hi-jacks are at gunpoint now....

Baseball bat Vs 9mm?

No thanks.

Risk getting done for carrying the bat?

Or risk you and your families lives by trying to hang onto the keys when they break into your house for them?

If someone goes to the trouble of breaking into my house for my car, then they can have it if it prevents me and my family from being put at un-neccesary risk.

Anyone who "sleeps with their keys" is committing a very foolish act IMO.

SiDHEaD

Hows about some keys only (to unlock the door, but no fob with them) in perfect view for "hooking" from the letterbox. That way they steal them and set the alarm off.

Andy

Jiggerypokery

How about a set of false keys hanging on the end of a microswitch wired in to the house alarm? Mount it close to the front door, visible from the letter box, and configure the alarm so that the microswitch is in a zone which is always armed. If anyone unhooks the keys the alarm triggers straight away.

sparkykev

What about a set of keys wired up to the mains?

smigga46

I have an MY99 as well mate and I just tell myself that the bird you'd get for robbing someone in their bed to much of a risk for what our cars are worth now (lots of touching wood).I think theses scum****es that do it are robbing to order to send cars abroad and would think the customers at the other end would only be out for new cars.Try not to worry mate n good luck.

ozzyinnit

SPLITTER,
I do have bat in my car and house too, wether i use them is a different matter but i would do all to protect my family,and they could have the car for there trouble,thats easy to replace!!!!!!!!
Thats just my view and if someone was tailing me i would stick to the speed limit and just not slow down,and explain that i never broke the speed limit,just s#####g myself that someone wanted to nick my motor if i got pulled!!!!!
but thats me

PETENAUD

Must admit i am now in the habbit of looking at the cars behind me when i am nearing home, if they seem to be following me i keep on driving, if after 10 miles they are still there, not hap yet, i will drive to the local nick.

Worrying tho.

regards


pete

SPLITTER

Ok thre bat thing may have been an anger comment.
But picture this my missus gets hijacked with my little 9 month old lad in his baby seat in the back
then what happens??
scary stuff innit

ajm

I can understand your sentiment, especially protecting your family, but if there wasn't those of us who were prepared to defend our property a little more "rigorously" then there would be very little detterent for a would be car thief contemplating breaking in to get the car keys.

If they knew every householder would give up the keys without any resistance then it would be open season!

talizman

iTrader: (1)

ajm,

I, like most other decent folk, take all reasonable steps to protect my property, and if a housebreaker or car thief violates my property, then its open season on sc*m as far as I am concerned. (as has happened in the past)

But, the type of incident we are talking about here, which is well documented as being much more serious, for me, makes it too risky to "defend our property a little more 'rigorously'"

Our cars are now so secure that the only failsafe way of stealing them is with the true key.

The majority of the time, the true key is obtained by these people (note plural) breaking into OCCUPIED homes, with no fear of getting caught. They are usually tooled up, be it firearms or the like, with the distinct intention of taking your keys, whether you comply or not.

Not many thieves have the bottle to break into an occupied house, not knowing who could be in there. These types are prepared to "do whats necessary" to get the job done.

I for one, am not willing to resist against people of this nature, as I don't want me or my loved ones shot, simply for trying to protect a lump of metal (to coin a phrase) that is fully comprehensively insured.

I do admire folk's conviction and their desire to protect what is theirs come hell or high water, but a line must be drawn in the sand somewhere, and for me it is this type of incident.

Having said all that, adrenaline and red mist/fear are very overwhelming and I have no doubt that I'd do the same as others if it ever happened to me, despite my rambling and good intentions!