Physical Security

[Las Palmas]

16 hours ago, Lexiguy said:

Hi John

That's true but I cannot see me ever leaving mine unlocked.  😱

Locks were first put on cars to stop their theft and I am sure in the event of an insurance claim they would take a dim view of a car being purposely left unlocked.

Ant 

That is correct. Still if a car has immobilizer and GPS tracking installed it will not be so easy for most common thief's to steal and if nothing is left in the car, little is to steal. If car is locked windows will often be smashed before the crook find out that it is empty. Long time ago we had a Honda CRX with alarm in, with siren inside the car close to 120db and usually left it not locked. Not many will get into a car with that noise level. Now we park in garage at night but still lock the car when parking outside it.

[Bob King]

On 7/17/2022 at 11:36 AM, Ken Timbers said:

Thank you all for plenty of ideas and good advice. I was intrigued by the idea of leaving the car unlocked, but I don't think I'm brave enough! I used to have one of the Stoplock devices, which are probably the most practical solution, but I'm not sure which one to buy that's known to fit this car—any advice on that would be welcome. (I've noted Herbie's and Lexiguy's items.) I tend to agree about CCTV being of doubtful value, but I do have a Ring doorbell that can see the drive. The window stickers sound like a good idea. Again, many thanks to all of you.

The pics I have at the moment are those from the Lexus showroom's site because it's still there having a full service before delivery. I think it's stunning, and I look forward to taking lots more photos when it's in my hands, sometime on 25th July!

 

I know that Lexus dealer , use to take my last SC430 there 👍🏻
As to which steering lock device , go for the Stop lock Pro . I had one on both of my previous SC’s...make sure it’s the Pro as it’s insurance approved, (Cat 3).

[dutchie01]

Many years ago i read an interview with a professional car thief and the only reason they walked away was if the licence plate number was etched in all the windows. It would mean they cant sell it on without replacing all windows which is too expensive/cumbersome. Since then thats i did with all cars.

By the way i also have experience in not locking my car when i was a student had a wonderful alfa 75 bloodred in those days. It were the days of the heroin junkies roaming the streets and i was living in the city center. After my second window smashed i decided not to lock the car only to find out a week later there was a tramp sleeping in it when i arrived to go to work.

Thats when i decided to move to the countryside... 

[doog442]

Don't worry no one would steal your SC430..even if you left the car unlocked. 

As for breaking in, well that happens all of the time and nothing on this planet can prevent that other than not having anything worth something on display (sat nav / Raybans / loose change etc)

Enjoy your car but don't stress about it. 

[Rabbers]

There has for some years been talk about manufacturers incorporating fingerprint recognition into start buttons as a supposedly highly effective anti theft device, but although such systems can be bought and apparently easily fitted by specialists, the idea does not seem to have caught on.  Any thoughts as to why? 

[Spock66]

58 minutes ago, Rabbers said:

There has for some years been talk about manufacturers incorporating fingerprint recognition into start buttons as a supposedly highly effective anti theft device, but although such systems can be bought and apparently easily fitted by specialists, the idea does not seem to have caught on.  Any thoughts as to why? 

I have it on my phone, but it's a bit hit and miss, if you have been gardening / diy and your skin is a bit rough it's not recognised.

[Lexiguy]

7 hours ago, Spock66 said:

I have it on my phone, but it's a bit hit and miss, if you have been gardening / diy and your skin is a bit rough it's not recognised.

Yes, I agree that is a great idea but I have had this feature on my last few phones and although I believe it has improved it can be unreliable so technology is not there yet! 

[Rabbers]

8 hours ago, Spock66 said:

…it's a bit hit and miss,…

58 minutes ago, Lexiguy said:

…it can be unreliable so technology is not there yet! 

Well, I don’t entirely agree with these observations.  I have had Touch ID on my last few iPhones and my wife Face ID on hers, and the technology is excellent.  Sure, you occasionally need to try a second time, but this is rare and the reason apparent and easily remedied.  I also have Touch ID on my laptop, apple again, and I can’t recall it ever not working first time.

My suspicion is that whereas single commercial entities such as apple can establish their own systems, car manufacturers and regulatory bodies have longer lead-times for choosing and adopting a standard.  

[Malc]

1 hour ago, Rabbers said:

and adopting a standard.

which won't help those with zero fingerprints maybe occasioned by after effects for a while, from some cancer treatments I believe 

It would just be a blo--ody nuisance 

Malc

[royoftherovers]

On 7/16/2022 at 7:38 PM, Rabbers said:

I once read an article about parking in the streets of Rome - though it might as well have been any other big city - which discussed much the same problem as posed in the OP, namely the avoidance or limitation of damage potentially caused by thieves.  The recommendation, believe it or not, was  never to lock your car. 

Leaving the car unlocked deliberately in U.K. is a Breach of the Insurance Contract and cover is invalidated immediately.. Not a good idea.

[Bluemarlin]

15 hours ago, Rabbers said:

There has for some years been talk about manufacturers incorporating fingerprint recognition into start buttons as a supposedly highly effective anti theft device, but although such systems can be bought and apparently easily fitted by specialists, the idea does not seem to have caught on.  Any thoughts as to why? 

Possibly because garages/service centres will need to be able to bypass it, which means that thieves will ultimately get hold of the bypass methods.

If sophisticated locks, alarms and immobilisers don't work, then it's hard to see how adding more technology will solve the problem.

Not sure how good PIN entry is, that's provided on some cars, but again it's another inconvenience for the driver/owner.

[PCM]

4 hours ago, Malc said:

which won't help those with zero fingerprints maybe occasioned by after effects for a while, from some cancer treatments I believe 

It would just be a blo--ody nuisance 

Malc

I think that's true.

When I had chemotherapy my fingerprints were shot to bits 😞

( Still think a bit of CCTV... and a security light and a 4-leaf clover. )

[Glyn Jennings]

The Ghost II Immobiliser system is another option. It won’t stop someone breaking it but it should stop them driving away. I am not sure if this is the system that is mentioned by others for use with a phone as it can also be used by pressing a combination of 4 different buttons on the dash/steering wheel to start the car. I have a Disklok but now I have wrapped my steering wheel I can’t use it as it is now a delicate finish. I do remember years ago car thieves would just snap of the steering wheel and steer the car with a pair of mole grips. I guess if the car is desirable and they really want it, it’s going to be difficult to stop it being stolen. We know what a hidden treasure the SC is but if it gets out and their value starts to rocket like certain other Japanese sports cars this could then be a problem.

[Rabbers]

3 hours ago, royoftherovers said:

Leaving the car unlocked deliberately in U.K. is a Breach of the Insurance Contract and cover is invalidated immediately.. Not a good idea.

Not only in the U.K., I would think, though I doubt, if it ever came to it,  that proving or demonstrating that a car was deliberately left unlocked would be easy.  I think the writer I mentioned was merely making the point - a dubious one in my view though not entirely devoid of logic -  that no anti theft device is perfect and that you might as well leave a car unlocked if you want to avoid or reduce prospective damage. 

[Ken Timbers]

To sum up my action on receiving so much advice, I've bought a Stoplock Pro for deterence and a TruTrak FMT 100 tracker for peace of mind. That'll have to do for the time being. Thanks to all who responded!

[Rabbers]

I thought I'd revisit this thread after reminiscing with a friend about a bizarre incident that occurred during a holiday we took in Provence a few years ago.

It was the first day of our stay and we and our wives were enjoying a leisurely lunch in the garden of a hotel overlooking Grasse.  The food was good, the sea sparkled on the horizon, and all was well with the world.  Our car, a Peugeot 504 rented at Nice airport that morning, was visible in the driveway, not that we were worried about its safety.  The vague discomfiture we felt on hearing the crunch of footsteps on gravel suddenly turned to alarm when we saw a man crouched next to the car.  Before we could react, he sprang upright and proceeded  to head-butt - yes, head-butt - the passenger-side front window, shattering it at the second or third attempt before finishing the job with his fist.  Wrenching the door open with the alarm screeching, he grabbed rental papers and a pair of sunglasses from the dashboard and, after fixing us with a triumphant smirk on his blood-streaked face, disappeared into the trees.  "Quick, somebody go after him!", cried my wife, promptly eliciting the suggestion she was joking.

We learned from the restaurant staff that the brute in question, instantly identified by his trademark head-butt, had a history of similar offences.  He was known among the locals as "Le Bélier" (i.e. The Ram), a somewhat unimaginative nickname that risked elevating him, we felt, to undeserved fabled status while gratuitously insulting a noble animal.  He typically operated in broad daylight in up-market restaurant car-parks and, for reasons best known to himself, targeted only white cars.  This was according to a police sergeant who cracked a faint smile when we asked if it would therefore not be safer for us to drive a black car and limit our gastronomic adventures to the sort of all-night greasy spoons for which the area was decidedly not famous.  Fearing an excess of red tape, we decided not to take the matter further.  A statement countersigned by the police proved good enough for the Hertz agent in Grasse, who viewed the bloodied front passenger seat with surprising equanimity and replaced the 504 that same afternoon - as it happened with another white one.

[oldjoe]

I managed to shut my one key in the boot after double locking the doors, result was AA could not get in with anything they tried as it was deadlocked. Nice ride home from Seaton  in Devon to Stroud in Gloucestershire in a transporter with car on the back. Definitely got my monies worth. So would not worry about someone stealing the car as the AA man said the only way if locked properly is to smash a window which he and i did not want him to do.

[Ken Timbers]

27 minutes ago, oldjoe said:

So would not worry about someone stealing the car as the AA man said the only way if locked properly is to smash a window

I took some comfort in the strength of this car's immobilising capability a few nights ago when its alarm sounded at about 4 am. The noise level of that horn was horrendous and when I got to the window it was clear that the thief had scarpered. I'd like to have seen his face when the alarm went off—when you're trying to keep quiet and you get that sort of noise at close quarters, it can't do your heart much good. I realise that he could have started by trying to break a window, but there wasn't anything exciting on display to steal, so that would have been a daft idea, making the noise in the hope that no one would notice.

I felt sorry for my neighbours, but glad the car knew what to do!

[Lexiguy]

I don’t mind a neighbours alarm going off because it will hopefully put perps off coming back to the area again and targetingmy cars!!

It's a bit like a dog barking in the night....it would be unusual if it was for no reason and will discourage the frequenting by nefarious visitors!

Ant

[Winston]

I just hide an AirTag in my cars, cost £20each. Batteries will need changing every year and they cost penny’s

[Lexiguy]

Hi Winston

What is an air tag?

Ant

[Harrier Man]

3 hours ago, Lexiguy said:

Hi Winston

What is an air tag?

Ant

AirTag is a tracking system developed by apple. You need access to one of Apple's more recent phones. Designed for finding your keys and the like but can be used for tracking cars - and people! https://www.apple.com/uk/airtag/

[Lexiguy]

Hi Malcolm

Thanks for getting me up to date!

Although I'm a android man so it would be no good for me!

Ant

[Malc]

11 hours ago, Harrier Man said:

You need access to one of Apple's more recent phones

Beware the cost of your new Iphone doesn't exceed the value of the car you're trying to protect  

as it might be in my case 

 

10 hours ago, Lexiguy said:

Although I'm a android man so it would be no good for me!

Malc

[RONNIE W HODGEKINSON]

Milenco steering Wheel Lock..Its The Business However REMEMBER A Real professional Car Thief will Even overcome this Deterent..But for car security this is the best.. My opinion Only Of Course.. Oh I Also Have 24hr CCTV Focused on the Car only  This can Help...  Other Fantastic Advice IS Make a bed up in the back seat of the car for the Wife Nobody will come Near...GUARANTEED.!!!!