AMG Thefts (Again)

[developer]

I'm aware this has been posted by someone else already, but I thought it important enough (to those it affects) to start another thread.

Last night, whilst driving home from a gig at c1.45am I spotted a marked police car sat in a side road.

As I passed, he pulled out and tailed me for about 2 miles.

He stopped me about a mile from home and simply asked my name.

After I'd told him, presumably confirming I was the registered keeper, he explained that they were stopping "proper AMG's" following a series of thefts.

As an aside, he went on to say he knew it was a proper AMG due to the exhaust note as I passed .

I asked if he knew how they were being taken and he said key thefts from property .

I thanked him and we went home.

So, decent policing, but a rather worrying situation, particularly as mine sits on the drive.

 

[Lee C63]

Scary to think someone will break into your house to steal the keys for the car.

 

[BenzedUP]

Why do people not lock their doors at night with a key. And I'm talking about your home door.
I keep my keys upstairs with me anyway, so they'd have to come up to get them...

Recently a guy on the M3 forum had his M3 stolen by breaking into his house via the letter box and taking the M3 keys.

 

[Simon_M]

Police knocked on my front door several years ago to warn me of similar. I was very appreciative, he said they clocked it due to the 4 exhausts - I parked it nose facing out after that but as you say the noise gives them away.

Fast estates are always popular with criminals as getaway cars sadly.

Locking a front door does not always help, tricks through the letter box and cheap insecure double glazing are easy ways in.

I was advised not to keep keys in the bedroom - better lose your car than a loved one unless you are Steven Segal!

S

 

[Lee C63]

Why do people not lock their doors at night with a key. And I'm talking about your home door.

I keep my keys upstairs with me anyway, so they'd have to come up to get them...

Joe one of my mates had his Porsche stolen while he was at work........horrible ba*****ds knocked on door then pulled a knife on his wife demanding keys for car........sad world we live in.

 

[leef44]

I reckon they're taking advantage of the hot weather where a lot of people leave windows open overnight (other than their bedroom) and thieves are able to sneak in and out without waking owners.

 

[developer]

Fast estates are always popular with criminals as getaway cars sadly.

S

Oh bugger .

 

[Stevie1982]

Happened to a friend of mine, popped up the letter box unlatched the door and took the keys to his wife's car. His wife and 2 young kids were asleep upstairs.

Sad world we live in. You can have all the security you wish but as above if someone knocks on the door and pulls a knife there's nothing you can do.

 

[Stevie1982]

OP what area are you from

 

[AMGeed]

OP what area are you from

Jasper Carrot country............Birmingham

 

[John]

Sad world we live in. You can have all the security you wish but as above if someone knocks on the door and pulls a knife there's nothing you can do.

There is - you can beat them to death in "self defence"...

Law takes a different view these days about death to burglars.

However, you have commit and be willing to do this - otherwise, let the car go.

 

[Stevie1982]

Car goes every time mate, not with the family in the house. It's a chunk of metal after all.

 

[RickMM]

Interesting, it was me that posted the other recent thread.
Got stopped in the B/ham area exactly as you did.
Police told me at the time that the method of theft was "key cloning via the OBD port" not breaking into properties and stealing original keys !
I suspect that if cloning was that simple then people wouldn't need to break in to houses?
Had my old M3 taken by key cloning via OBD, so I know it's a possibility, and got me particularly concerned.
Not sure what the truth is here

 

[HB]

Do not keep keys upstairs. We can replace the dam car as that's all it is remember.

 

[developer]

Interesting, it was me that posted the other recent thread.
Got stopped in the B/ham area exactly as you did.
Police told me at the time that the method of theft was "key cloning via the OBD port" not breaking into properties and stealing original keys !
I suspect that if cloning was that simple then people wouldn't need to break in to houses?
Had my old M3 taken by key cloning via OBD, so I know it's a possibility, and got me particularly concerned.
Not sure what the truth is here

I'm guessing he gave me his personal opinion, without real data - who knows .

 

[Ted]

May be worth buying a cheap case from ebay and leaving it in the hall with some old keys that you've had hanging around for twenty years and fit nothing.
That should delay the buggers.

 

[BenzedUP]

Interesting, it was me that posted the other recent thread. Got stopped in the B/ham area exactly as you did. Police told me at the time that the method of theft was "key cloning via the OBD port" not breaking into properties and stealing original keys ! I suspect that if cloning was that simple then people wouldn't need to break in to houses? Had my old M3 taken by key cloning via OBD, so I know it's a possibility, and got me particularly concerned. Not sure what the truth is here

That was the case with M3s, but apparently BMW released a security update on their cars to stop you from cloning the key - not sure if it works or not though...

 

[Fudger]

Recently a guy on the M3 forum had his M3 stolen by breaking into his house via the letter box and taking the M3 keys.

I had a 'no letter box' front door fitted recently, for that reason.

However, if they have a way of taking the car without the proper key, I am not sure I can do anything to stop them?

 

[ringway]

Just a thought... It's not beyond the realms of possibility that someone at a dealership could have access to key numbers/codes or meet someone with a cloner whilst taking the car for a test drive after servicing. Very easy to do if they really wanted to and the rewards warranted the risk.

 

[Allan AMG]

I had a 'no letter box' front door fitted recently, for that reason.

However, if they have a way of taking the car without the proper key, I am not sure I can do anything to stop them?

As per the other thread. Just get the Auto Watch Ghost system fitted. It's not going anywhere with the original, spare or cloned key