Car wash car theft.

[Vitobrabus]

Reposted from another forum I frequent.....

A chap at work took his jag to a car park with a wash service in Kettering. He left the car with them and returned 2 hours later. All was well with the car and it was nice and clean. That night he had a call from his tracker company saying the car was being tampered with. (It was in the garage under his bedroom) The next morning at 4am on the way to work there was a car outside his house that started to follow him. He cut up a lorry to take a turn so the car couldn't follow. The next morning the same thing happened but the car followed him all the way to the yard. When he turned in the car carried on. He didn't have any other trouble. When he next went shopping and to have his car cleaned he spotted the car that had been following him. He called the police and they raided the car wash to find a container full of computers with car key copiers and all the kit needed to disable factory alarm and trackers.
So please all keep your keys on you and don't give these scum a chance to steal your pride and joy.

 

[ash59fifty-uk]

I'm local there, I'm surprised anyone in good ole Skettering had the brain cells to devise such a plan

 

[clk320x]

Haha Ash Ive just moved to Northampton myself, but I wash my car myself so no worries there

 

[ash59fifty-uk]

Haha Ash Ive just moved to Northampton myself, but I wash my car myself so no worries there

There's a good one in Northampton, it's quite big and undercover but I forget the name or location if it lol. Although I can navigate to it, but they do a great job a few garages use it also

 

[clk320x]

Oh good to hear. If you remember where it is let me know haha

 

[GLK]

If you're thinking of the one by the BP forecourt on St James Rd, it's the WashMe - a hand wash with US-style automated car wash (contactless).

They used to be quite good, but recently were having problem with the machine, and the younger chaps they now have to do the actual washing are nowhere near as attentive as the old guys, who now just sit in the "office" cabin ... And the new ones do not understand a word of English, not even simple "no [traffic film remover] spray" or "please go easy [with a jet wash] on the wheels".

I wish I had a space to wash the car myself ...

 

[400ixl]

Do you mean he left the keys with said cleaners?

Not that I would have a car park type cleaning service go near the car, but even if I did, there is no way I would be out of sight of the keys, or an unlocked car at that matter.

May have misread the post though.

 

[ash59fifty-uk]

If you're thinking of the one by the BP forecourt on St James Rd, it's the WashMe - a hand wash with US-style automated car wash (contactless). They used to be quite good, but recently were having problem with the machine, and the younger chaps they now have to do the actual washing are nowhere near as attentive as the old guys, who now just sit in the "office" cabin ... And the new ones do not understand a word of English, not even simple "no [traffic film remover] spray" or "please go easy [with a jet wash] on the wheels". I wish I had a space to wash the car myself ...

I'm not sure, it's a long drive in one which looks like it has the automated washers, but they weren't turned on and it was used as a long hand wash, then again it's been a long while since I've been over there

 

[geraldrobins]

Do you mean he left the keys with said cleaners?

Not that I would have a car park type cleaning service go near the car, but even if I did, there is no way I would be out of sight of the keys, or an unlocked car at that matter.

May have misread the post though.

I think he must have done if the car was left for 2 hours to enable them to move the car in and out of the bay.

 

[GLK]

I'm not sure, it's a long drive in one which looks like it has the automated washers, but they weren't turned on and it was used as a long hand wash, then again it's been a long while since I've been over there

Is this the one you're thinking about?

If yes, that's the WashMe by the BP: WASHME.CO.UK | NORTHAMPTONS PREMIER HAND WASH

 

[Rory]

Reposted from another forum I frequent.....

So please all keep your keys on you and don't give these scum a chance to steal your pride and joy.

I'm not saying it isn't true but it reads like a made up scare story.

If the Police raided it and found all that gear then presumeably there would be local newspaper reports etc?

 

[Steveml63]

Sounds like one of them internet urban myths!

 

[Druk]

The OP stated it was a carpark with car wash. We have one of these near us where you get pounced as you park and they ask if you want your car washed whilst you shop. You then leave them the keys and return to a clean car re-parked where you left it. If you're daft enough to leave them the keys that is.

I don't think so!

 

[alzieboy]

The big Sainsbury's on The A140 have people who wheel trolleys around the car park asking in jibber jabber English if you want your car cleaned, well the state of the water in the bucket ( yes only the one) and the appalling state of the cloths makes you wonder why on earth people even consider using them, I did witness one women in a very nice 1 series had over her keys to them .

 

[gr1nch]

The whilst you're shipping car washes in Tesco seemed well organised and branded as Tesco (so fully authorised) so was ok to use them with my old car. I'm tending towards not leaving my car with them when I come back. Car keys are getting more like credit cards in terms of data copying and spoofing - and we don't leave them with strangers for hours at a time.

Where I'm living most of the car washes are self-service jetwashes, which suits me fine. In the UK it was disturbing seeing the growth of back-street, low end carwashes, where, because they could pay peanuts to migrants (judging by their English when I enquired), they don't charge much. Surprising how many nice motors went through them.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

The big Sainsbury's on The A140 have people who wheel trolleys around the car park asking in jibber jabber English if you want your car cleaned, well the state of the water in the bucket ( yes only the one) and the appalling state of the cloths makes you wonder why on earth people even consider using them, I did witness one women in a very nice 1 series had over her keys to them .

Maybe she thought that the keys were going into a fruit bowl.

 

[rf065]

The whilst you're shipping car washes in Tesco seemed well organised and branded as Tesco (so fully authorised)

In the UK it was disturbing seeing the growth of back-street, low end carwashes, where, because they could pay peanuts to migrants (judging by their English when I enquired), they don't charge much.

No difference between them & Tesco car washes though.

Tesco car wash workers got half of minimum wage - BBC News

Russ

 

[GLK]

One of the attractions of that WashMe facility to me is that, I never even leave my car throughout the whole process.
That, and a familiar [to me] and convenient US 'conveyor belt' system. Fully contactless, so no brushes, and all you have to do is shift the car to N ...

 

[dejongj]

The whilst you're shipping car washes in Tesco seemed well organised and branded as Tesco (so fully authorised) so was ok to use them with my old car. I'm tending towards not leaving my car with them when I come back. Car keys are getting more like credit cards in terms of data copying and spoofing - and we don't leave them with strangers for hours at a time.

Where I'm living most of the car washes are self-service jetwashes, which suits me fine. In the UK it was disturbing seeing the growth of back-street, low end carwashes, where, because they could pay peanuts to migrants (judging by their English when I enquired), they don't charge much. Surprising how many nice motors went through them.

Actually they can't pay peanuts to migrants, that would be illegal. The law makes no distinction regarding minimum pay based upon migration status.


Personally I wouldn't leave my car with any car wash place unless it was a reputable detailer. The amount of sponges I see hit the pavement, or 'drying' towels fall to floor and be picked up. Yuk, won't let that come anywhere near my cars.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

No difference between them & Tesco car washes though. Tesco car wash workers got half of minimum wage - BBC News Russ

A car wash closed down because workers only getting £3.60 per hour. How much are those people getting paid now - nothing! I'm sure they're delighted that their financial rights are being protected.