Just sat at home about to watch some TV, got the dinner in the oven blah blah blah, and I get a knock at the door....

....its our local Neighborhood Watch Spokesman, he said that one of our neighbors spotted a dodgy looking guy this morning acting rather suspiciously. At first she thought he was taking photos of some speed bumps in the entrance to a cul-de-sac a bit further up our road which she thought was a bit odd. It was only when he walked down the street to the corner opposite my house (whilst apparently smoking a massive spliff!!!) and then took a photo of my Scooby parked on the drive that she started to get worried. She said she got out of her car and stood there and he didnt seem bothered at all, he then just walked off.

So now I'm worried that my motors either on someones potential shopping list or being considered for a get away car etc A bit further down the street from me is a VXR8 and she thinks he might have taken a picture that too....

The Neighborhood watch guy said he's left a message with the local police control room to make them aware of it.

My concern is that if they do come for it, and they are that organised, that they probably wont think twice about coming into house for the keys...

At the end of the day, it might be nothing but its made me really fecking angry

feckinpi55edoff.com !!!!!

 

big dog, big bat and cctv.... generally sorts em out.


hope it aint nothing tho bud.

 

if you are that worried mate take some think of it or unplug some think so it wont start or take your keys to bed with you and put them under your pillow so they have to wake you up to get them

 

I disagree with the above, if they come, make the keys available DOWNSTAIRS. Dont disable the car,as they will possibly try to convince you to make the car work. Its just a bit of metal at the end of the day. Hope nothing comes of it, and as they say on Crimewatch, Dont have sleepless nights!

 

that is possibley the worst advice i have ever heard on this forum

 

Funny, do you think this is going to be one one like in the films. It likely a gang member sussing out the street and potential targets.

Imagine, waking up with 3-4-5 blokes stood around you with bats, guns or kinves. How about they are holding your partner or child with a knife to their neck whilst they ask for the keys, or they will cut them.
Hardly fictional.

Keys best left downstairs.

It is a car, maybe your pride and joy and yes, we would all like to think that we would have a go and win but likely not in most cases.

 

i TOTALLY agree with you there is now way I want someone to come upstairs for the Keys and giving me or my wife a beating for them.

Very true

Tony

 

my car keys always come to bed with me. i would try to disable it to. i see why people are saying its bad advice but i hate thieves and i would make it as hard as possible for them.

if it came to been beaten to death or give up the keys then the car is a gona but i wouldnt make it easy for them

 

I agree at the end of the day its just a piece of metal that can be replaced whereas you and your familys welfare are worth a lot more. I never take my keys upstairs always leave them downstairs in a draw at the end af the day if they want it that bad then they will do anything to get it. Hate that this country is this way but we gotta just live with it. Is there no where else you could leave it for a few nights i.e friends, parents or work if the car disapears for a while maybe they will move on. Hope all goes well

 

You would risk injury, paralisys or even death - for a car, come on really?

Do you live on you own, no partner, wife, kids??

just a car...

 

Just noticed your in Manchester so am i always room on my drive if you want it to disapear for a while dont need the keys or anything like that but your welcome to park it here for a while if it helps out

 

thats probably what i would do but i have an added benefit of 2 male rotties, to be honest it sounds well dodgy and it would most defo be a sleepless night for me,u need to make whoever it is very aware that u r watching them even if it is at 4am.at the end of the day if they know they r being watched its unlikely they will do anything cause the second i would see someone sniffing round my motor it would be 999 straight away.keep one eye open and one ear pinned backhopefully nothing comes of it but does sound very suspect. i would have concernes that it could be anytime over the next couple weeks?if they are that good mate they will take it anyway so as long as your insurance is ok, i wouldnt stress 2 much.

 

I agreed with what D4VEW557 said, dont make it that easy for them , as they will do it all the time , it may be just a "car", but its "my" car which in my case have spent tens of thousand pounds on modding along with the time and hassle that goes with it , so no scombags will just waltz in my house and run off with it (all imho )

flame suit now on

 

What a nice gesture.
And keys defo downstairs for me!

 

one of these

some of these

some of these

and if ya really brave...
.

organised crime, thieves, would not want hassle. if there snooping ya gaff out there going to see theres no CCTV on the property. bangsome camaras up it will make them reassess there plan and wonder way you have suddenly put cams up.
That alone should make them think some ones tipped them off and will send them to an easyer target. is your car a rare 1 off? are they hard to get?? if so then maybe a different story, but if its a every day scoob, they WILL go for the easyer steal some where else.

they will not want to attract attention to the job, so noise, panic alarm on your house allarm being set off will make em scarper! UNLESS, how ever this is a personal vendetter to you, then they will not care and will do what ever to get the car.

i agree with the above tho, nowdays i would just let the car go as i have 2 kids and a wife etc, but a few years ago they would of had to of worked to get the motor. i have some what chilled out since the 2nd kid!! lol

pro organised car theives generally work violence free. if its some chavvy little gang then they deserve a beating!

all the best buddy, thats my 2 pence!

 

One word.....Blackjaxx........and just hand the keys over...

 

that willl work , have it on my car

 

best advice yet.

 

Car keys stay downstairs, no question about it.

Any dogs are great early warning systems, doesn't matter if it's a little terrier or a massive rottweiller - they all bark if someone breaks in.

When I lived out in the States, they recommend avoiding confrontation,

1) Call 911
2) Assemble family into a single room, stay on the floor as far away from the door as possible - but with it in sight
3) Aim gun at door
4) Shout 'I am armed, do not enter this room or I will open fire' repeat if they don't leave
5) Shoot at centre of door if it starts to open
6) Await the blues and two's

 

i would love to c someone try and get past ma 2 staffys then there the misses, god help anyone pmsl

if the want ure car the will take it mate,no matter what alarm/immob on it,unfortunatley **** happens

 

let em have the keys leave em downstairs like a lot of the other responses the risk of a beating or worse to you wife or kids is not worth it its just a car. I had mine stolen off my drive but luckily got it back i still leave keys downstairs just i have a paintball gun under the bed so i can paintball the ****ers whilst there tryin to get all immobolisers and alarm off from the comfort of the house as i can set that off from in the house with the other fob hehe

 

best thing to do in my opinion would be to move your car to your parents or mates house for a week or two if it is really that important a car to you.
if necessary let them have it, its insured isnt it?
horrible situation to be in thou

 

get a house alarm, that might be enough to put em off trying break in while you are asleep.
i installed mine for less 100 pounds. it makes me sleep better. at least i will be woken to be able to protect my family.

 

Good luck hoping it's something and nothing, if you know what I mean - get the VXR owner on side to mate - strength in numbers - maybe you can look out for each other.

 

Maybe I would leave the keys downstairs in the UK but unplug a sensor so it doesn’t start very doubtful after trying to start it on your drive they would go back in to your house wake you up to ask what is wrong with it

In France your home is your castle no problem with serious injuries or even death if they are in your home/on your land threatening you or stealing cars but to be honest I usually leave the door open with the car keys in the back crime is almost zero here

 

Thanks for the support

The car isn't at the house at the moment, its been moved to a safe location.

I ALWAYS leave my keys downstairs. Theres no way I want anyone that is that determined to take the car to the extent that they break in to my house, to have to come upstairs to get the keys, not arsed about me, but the misses.... thats different (and she aint no minger either... doesnt bear thinking about really).

If they're that organised, is it likely to be one guy on his own...? Probably not. Don't get me wrong, I'm not afraid of having a go or looking after myself but I'm not crazy and know when its right to and not right to stand and fight (so to speak). As has been said, if they're that determined to take it, I dont want to make it so hard they have to come upstairs.

Tomorrow, I'm CCTV shopping. Its not going to stop them physically taking the car but its a deterrent, as is the Disclok etc etc
I might even put in some security posts or get a wheel clamp type thing but again, is that just increasing the likelihood that if they really want it, they're going to have to come in to get it?

I've thought about clearing the garage out and sticking it in there, but again, if they really want it, I'd rather they lift it off the drive than have to think about coming inside for it.

As for the Blackjax suggestion.... guess who has just sold one....!!! Yep, ME! D'oh!!!

Its a little comforting knowing that the neighborhood watch thing is actually working and that the police have been informed... so thats something at least!

The NH watch guy said that there had been a couple stolen from another estate not that far from me, apparently the guy plays football for Bolton, had his Ranger Rover knicked, the police found the tracker unit about a mile from his house down a country lane, the car did turn up though.... 2 months later in Malta!!!

I think when I've got the CCTV installed I'll feel a little happier and I think a house alarm isnt a bad idea either, and we have been thinking of getting a pooch... sorry, I mean trained killer guard dog

...How ****e is it that one little thing can cause such a major sh*t storm? Now I'm thinking am I just going to end up really para every time I hear a noise outside or noise in the house after I've gone to bed.

PS. Thanks for the offer VTR Steve, but I think I'll make some security improvements here and if it goes, the insurance will have to sort it out.

 

my house has a panic alarm button connected to the house alarm in my bedroom next to my bed which is upstairs, was installed by the prevous owner, very handy if u were to hear someone downstairs or breaking in, the noise of the alarm going off suddenly would scare them off, if not the sight of me bollock naked at the top of the stairs with a cosh might, lol.

 

maybe they aint after your car atall,could have took pics of it to advertise for sale,then scam some genuine buyer into paying a deposit to hold car,nearly happened to my brother and we made a point of informing the genuine owner and the police.it does happen!

 

Even a vehicle clone - happened to mine with the previous RO (Leeds area).

 

Quite possibly, it might even just be a simple case of some stoner on his way home from a heavy night at his mates that just seen a nice motor and taken a photo of it. Its probably not the case, but it could be. Strange that they'd be out casing cars at 9.30am on a Sunday morning in broad daylight

I took a photo of a yellow Exige S2 with black rims that was parked next to me in Lancaster one time and I wasnt intending on stealing it, I just wanted to show the misses as she loves yellow cars and it looked amazing.

Anyway, I dont reckon I'll be getting a lot of sleep tonight