Car stolen overnight.

sigma · 8 Oct 2020 at 20:25

At least they were doing their bit to prevent the spread of covid

(sorry)

I guess the one positive thing is that they took it without disturbing you. If they're really after the car and you've gone to extremes to protect the house I reckon they'd go down the car jacking route. An estate where a friend lives had a car jacking recently, that can't have been pleasant...

sigma · 8 Oct 2020 at 20:27

theone8181 said:
Surely it must be for some other crime, I can't imagine something like that being stolen to order to be sold on (at least not in this country) as surely registration wouldn't work? I agree about a getaway car, just don't corner too fast. Did/does the golf R have keyless as well, and to the op, do you live on a main Street or cul-de-sac?

It's a well-oiled machine apparently. People place a order for a car/list of cars and they're quickly put on ships as people are on the 'pay roll' etc.

Barks · 8 Oct 2020 at 20:36

What amazes me is how easily they’re able to get them on these containers. I know sod all about docks but surely there can’t be and security or procedures at all.

Dis86 · 8 Oct 2020 at 20:37

Barks said:
What amazes me is how easily they’re able to get them on these containers. I know sod all about docks but surely there can’t be and security or procedures at all.

They don't go on at the dock...

Em3bbs · 8 Oct 2020 at 22:29

Chris1712 said:
Scumbags. Hope it's an easy resolution for you, does it make any difference if it's financed? I guess you're stuck with a courtesy car from insurance until they pay out? Not really sure how theft works.

Why are cars like this stolen nowadays? Stripped for parts or shipped abroad maybe?

It wasn't financed, the insurance company have given me a Renault Captur from Enterprise, which is fine I guess - just waiting to see what they will offer for the payout but at least the kids can get to school tomorrow. Also it will be nice to drive a manual car for the first time in about 10 years.

Em3bbs · 8 Oct 2020 at 22:32

theone8181 said:
Surely it must be for some other crime, I can't imagine something like that being stolen to order to be sold on (at least not in this country) as surely registration wouldn't work? I agree about a getaway car, just don't corner too fast. Did/does the golf R have keyless as well, and to the op, do you live on a main Street or cul-de-sac?

I live at the end of a really quiet cul de sac, it wasn't a quiet car either and the neighbours thought it was unusual hearing the car start at 4am (I didn't hear it) but they thought I was driving to the station again after working from home since covid times.

HoneyBadger · 9 Oct 2020 at 04:57

Wow, what utter cretins. Hope you get a good result either way.

Get a dog, OP. I have 4, nothing is going down without them knowing about it.

theone8181 · 9 Oct 2020 at 06:07

Em3bbs said:
I live at the end of a really quiet cul de sac, it wasn't a quiet car either and the neighbours thought it was unusual hearing the car start at 4am (I didn't hear it) but they thought I was driving to the station again after working from home since covid times.

Wow, my guess was that you lived on a main road and somebody had seen it in passing. Down a cul-de-sac suggests incredibly organised, scary stuff.

Rroff · 9 Oct 2020 at 06:11

theone8181 said:
Wow, my guess was that you lived on a main road and somebody had seen it in passing. Down a cul-de-sac suggests incredibly organised, scary stuff.

Makes me wonder if they stuck a tracker on it at some point, etc.

Malevolence · 9 Oct 2020 at 07:05

They really are *****.

That will be parked up somewhere quiet so they can check if it's got a tracker or not. They'll leave it somewhere for a few days, then come back to it. The idea being that if it has a tracker then the police will have found and recovered it, if it doesn't and it's still there then it's straight down to wherever they're using to strip it for parts.

Dangerous Dave · 9 Oct 2020 at 07:55

Did you active the BMW connected services ?

I would guess they look organised enough to disable the option to track the location in the app but if the police contact BMW they can see the location even with the option disabled on the iDrive system. Some have also claimed they can disable engine start remotely.

Jimbeam3678 · 9 Oct 2020 at 08:05

Dis86 said:
They don't go on at the dock...

Where do they go at then?

Em3bbs · 9 Oct 2020 at 08:19

Dangerous Dave said:
Did you active the BMW connected services ?

I would guess they look organised enough to disable the option to track the location in the app but if the police contact BMW they can see the location even with the option disabled on the iDrive system. Some have also claimed they can disable engine start remotely.

They disabled the BMW Connected services a couple of minutes after stealing it according to the logs. Definitely knew what they were doing.

Dis86 · 9 Oct 2020 at 08:29

Jimbeam3678 said:
Where do they go at then?

Private property, normally a shed on an industrial estate somewhere. The sealed container is then typically driven to it's destination via ro-ro.

sigma · 9 Oct 2020 at 08:35

I wonder how much they get paid per car? £1000? £250 each?

Easy money I guess and the stats suggest they rarely get caught.

Nasher · 9 Oct 2020 at 08:58

The range they can extend the signal for all depends on how good the equipment they use is, not the fob itself. The signal needs to be blocked completely to be safe.

Putting the keys at the back of the house might stop some chav with an ebay signal booster. But might not stop pros.

Rroff · 9 Oct 2020 at 09:22

sigma said:
I wonder how much they get paid per car? £1000? £250 each?

Easy money I guess and the stats suggest they rarely get caught.

Have to wonder - these guys were in a different league to even the "gone in 50 seconds" type videos of car theft - no getting in each other's way, no standing around watching each other working, unhurried, show forethought and planning more inline with military training than your average criminal - no fumbling around reactively to things, etc. they've obviously done their homework on the car.

I'm guessing there was at least another couple of people involved - driver for their transport and someone watching the wider area for passers-by or police activity, etc.

EssexBoy · 9 Oct 2020 at 09:45

Will continue to happen unfortunately and much better they take it without any confrontation it's only a bit of metal and replaceable.

jpaul · 9 Oct 2020 at 09:52

Watching a video on technique, this suggests the criminal just has to be close to the key to capture it's communication,
and not necessarily close to the car at the same time, so could be stolen, with them outside an appartment door, 100'sm away from car. ?
the disabling device they are selling with a small clip to go around the fob battery is pretty bright though.
It's this SHOCKINGLY Easy to Steal a Car!? Bye Bye My Focus RS

happy_2008 · 9 Oct 2020 at 10:08

Shocking how easy it was