Keyless Car Theft

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Re: Keyless Car Theft

#41 Post by Pontius Navigator » Sun Nov 10, 2019 12:07 pm

Mrs PN did a good job. Locked the keys in the boot lid flange of our Escort Cabriolet. Inside, no problem. In the boot, drop the rear seat. In the flange, no chance.

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Re: Keyless Car Theft

#42 Post by G-CPTN » Sun Nov 10, 2019 6:46 pm

As a very newly-appointed export sales engineer, I drove the company Audi to the North Sea ferry for my first overseas (indeed my very first) trip, arriving early - so I decided to have a walk in the sunshine - and having locked the car I took off my jacket with the keys in the pocket, placed it in the boot and slammed it shut with the keys in my jacket pocket.
I knew that there were 'recovery' contact details in the glove box (!)
As the ferry departure time approached, a docker urged me to get on board - I explained and he appeared with a bent wire and opened the locked car in ten seconds. I pulled the rear seat backrest forward and retrieved my jacket and the keys . . .

So my new career was saved!

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Re: Keyless Car Theft

#43 Post by ExSp33db1rd » Mon Nov 11, 2019 7:22 am

The hi-vis steering wheel locks is fairly troublesome to install it.
So I use one of those chains for locking bicycles to the storage rack in the street, i.e. a long plastic coated cable with a combination lock, place around the steering wheel rim and the front seat anchorage points. The visibility has the same effect, i.e. easier to go and pinch an easier one to drive away.

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Re: Keyless Car Theft

#44 Post by Ex-Ascot » Mon Nov 11, 2019 10:25 am

My First Officer bought a new suitcase in Honkkers. He set the combination lock then forgot the code. Between the ground floor and his floor the lift operator had opened it for him.

Locked myself out of the car years ago at a pub. Can't remember which car. I was fiddling around and a guy came up and asked what the problem was. He said please turn your back. Seconds later the door was open.

Never understand why more aircraft are not stolen. We have dozens of C208s here on the apron at 2m USD a time. Doors unlocked and no ignition key required. They fuel them up at the end of the day. ATC is closed overnight. Radar off. Security is crap. Could easily get one to a remote strip in Zim. Wings off stuff it into a cargo aircraft and off you go. Wodders, OM15 how are you at taking wings off an aircraft? We could have a business going here.

Someone once stole all the seats out of an aircraft here overnight.
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Re: Keyless Car Theft

#45 Post by Pontius Navigator » Mon Nov 11, 2019 10:52 am

Ex-A, States trip from Mildenhall, just before departure locked our UK stuff in car boot and boarded jet for US. At Dover AFB realised my luggage keys where back in UK.

Customs were superb, VIP treatment, waved straight through 🙁

I asked if they could help "Joe, get that big screw driver". Actually they produced a big bunch of keys and had it opened inn a trice.

Years later, leaving US TSA couldn't undo my case strap. Bastards just cut it, left the cut strap on the case.

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Re: Keyless Car Theft

#46 Post by G-CPTN » Mon Nov 11, 2019 11:22 am

My previous car (a top-of-the-range with all the extras model) that had been a rep's car, had an inbuilt Mul-T-Lok physical lock on the gear lever.
The bracketry was hidden underneath the central console with a substantial u-bolt - normally stowed alongside the gear lever. A multi-tumbler high security lock held the u-bolt in place when in use.
It was a matter of a couple of seconds to secure or undo the u-bolt using a key on the keyring.


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Re: Keyless Car Theft

#47 Post by ian16th » Mon Nov 11, 2019 11:28 am

After doing some last minute shopping on the way to Miami Airport, I managed to leave my case keys in the boot of rental car.

I was routed home to JHB via RIO, where I was night stopping, so had to get through customs. I had visions of Brazilian Customs doing a screwdriver job on my Samsonite case. Walked through the Green channel unchallenged.
Dumped case at hotel and found nearest luggage shop and bought a Samsonite numbered key for a few cents!
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Re: Keyless Car Theft

#48 Post by llondel » Mon Nov 11, 2019 4:49 pm

Ex-Ascot wrote:
Mon Nov 11, 2019 10:25 am
Never understand why more aircraft are not stolen. We have dozens of C208s here on the apron at 2m USD a time. Doors unlocked and no ignition key required. They fuel them up at the end of the day. ATC is closed overnight. Radar off. Security is crap. Could easily get one to a remote strip in Zim. Wings off stuff it into a cargo aircraft and off you go. Wodders, OM15 how are you at taking wings off an aircraft? We could have a business going here.
Taking the wings off is easy, a bit of velocity and a couple of trees with the correct spacing will achieve that. It's if you want to be able to put them back on again in working order that things become more critical.

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Re: Keyless Car Theft

#49 Post by Pontius Navigator » Mon Nov 11, 2019 5:26 pm

G-CPTN wrote:
Mon Nov 11, 2019 11:22 am
My previous car (a top-of-the-range with all the extras model) that had been a rep's car, had an inbuilt Mul-T-Lok physical lock on the gear lever.
The bracketry was hidden underneath the central console with a substantial u-bolt - normally stowed alongside the gear lever. A multi-tumbler high security lock held the u-bolt in place when in use.
It was a matter of a couple of seconds to secure or undo the u-bolt using a key on the keyring.


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Not exactly keyless then 😄

All my SAAB s 99/900 had a unique key system. The ignition switch was behind the hand brake. Easy to use but a pig to access. You had to remove the seats to remove the ABS cover to get at the switch. The switch was covered by a heavy metal frame. The frame was secured by 4 bolts with a triangular head. Just so you could use grips the bolts were recessed in sockets.

My last SAAB lock developed a problem where it became difficult to put the key in and turn it. Once in it was OK. For the last few months we left the key in and hid it under a duster. My parting shot to the car salesman, who hadn't driven the car, was don't take the key out.

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Re: Keyless Car Theft

#50 Post by Woody » Mon Nov 11, 2019 8:13 pm

Could easily get one to a remote strip in Zim. Wings off stuff it into a cargo aircraft and off you go. Wodders, OM15 how are you at taking wings off an aircraft? We could have a business going here.
Don’t think that they’re so desperate that they want to go to Zim :D
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Re: Keyless Car Theft

#51 Post by ExSp33db1rd » Tue Nov 12, 2019 2:33 am

Dumped case at hotel and found nearest luggage shop and bought a Samsonite numbered key for a few cents!
All Globetrotter suitcases sold to BOAC crew from uniform stores - fractionally cheaper than Selfridges - bore key No. 3. If one ever forgot, or lost it, just ask another crew member.

It was "rumoured" ( to protect the innocent ) that in the days when luggage was loaded into the hold by a conveyor belt from ground level to door sill, Thiefrow handlers could take a bag off the top of the belt, open it, check the contents, and stow it without slowing down the progress of the belt. Many a passenger has arrived at the destination hotel to find that his expensive shoes had been replaced by some loaders old ones. Walking off the airport empty handed( not carrying stolen goods ) but wearing "new" shoes attracted no attention. .

Just a rumour of course.

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Re: Keyless Car Theft

#52 Post by Slasher » Tue Nov 12, 2019 3:15 am

Ex-Ascot wrote:
Mon Nov 11, 2019 10:25 am
We have dozens of C208s here on the apron at 2m USD a time. Doors unlocked and no ignition key required. They fuel them up at the end of the day. ATC is closed overnight. Radar off. Security is crap. Could easily get one to a remote strip in Zim.
Hmm. It just occurred to me sah together we could do night cargo runs (the cargo being of dubious legality) and be back before the Tower bloke wakes up. We’d use different 208s to spread around the flight time. Airswitches can be carefully bent to record zilch then bent very carefully back. A bit of an apprenticeship in the art is required.

We’ll also have to carry a few jerry cans in the boot to top up the fuel tanks after arrival.

Won’t give out too much but yonks ago we once flew the Navajo back of the clock to fly in and out of nominated Dry boong places at night carrying Croc rum and slabs, sometimes having to land on a dirt road lit by 4WDs. Because of the high risks we charged like wounded buffalos and some very pretty pennies were made. The boongs were richer than sh!t from Federal handouts and mining royalties so money was no object.

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Re: Keyless Car Theft

#53 Post by Smeagol » Tue Nov 12, 2019 5:36 am

Many moons ago when working in the oilfields of Sumatra and driving a Holden pick-up truck locking the keys inside was fairly frequent as one often left the engine (and the aircon) running when stopped and if one purposely or inadvertently pushed the lock button down when exiting the vehicle one became 'locked-out'. I carried a long piece of wire with a hooked end in the large metal box welded in the back of the truck and could unlock in about 15 seconds! Had to do it many times. The folded piece of flat strapping tape worked equally well and could be carried in a wallet.

When lock door buttons became flush with the door when locked things got much more difficult. I once locked my keys in the boot of my 7 series e38 BMW and even the best efforts of the AA could not get in successfully. They might have but there was serious risk of damage to the car which I was not keen to risk. Got my son to do a 250 mile round trip with the spare keys. Ever since I make sure that Mrs S always has a second key with us if we are away from home.
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