Comand Stolen

[agshull]

hi all, had my comand system stolen yesterday, and i could not beleive
how easy it looked,
3am my e class parked outside my open window i heard the alarm go of
looked out of my window to see 2 lowlife runing away, Back door fanlight
smashed open door and 30 seconds later comand gone,
2 questions,
I thought doors would be dead locked and i thought the comand system
would be screwed into the dash
what could i do to stop this happeing again,

 

[whitenemesis]

Very sorry to hear this..

MB do not have deadlocks, never have AFAIK. I'm very surprised the COMAND was so easily removed, I thought there would be several bits of trim needing to be released first.

Did they do much damage to the dash?

 

[agshull]

not a scrach

 

[whitenemesis]

Gobsmacked!!!

 

[trainer]

Sorry to hear this.

I refitted my command a few months ago in the C32 and there are 4 retaining screws that fix it into the dash. Various bits of trim needed removing and refitting to achieve the end result.

Didn't realise I didn't have deadlocks. I thought when I double locked it dead locked like my old avensis.

In terms of preventing a re occurrence there is little you could do unless you garage it. Your alarm went off so that worked. Maybe you could find a way of fixing the Comand into the dash - Alfie is probably the best bet for an answer.

 

[The Pan Man]

Stolen to order you think by some low life that knows or has been taught how to.

 

[Simon_M]

Keep an eye on eBay....most ones for sale are from eastern Europe so a UK seller should be rare.

 

[prprandall51]

My suspicious mind wonders if you have been to a garage recently? If Comands are sought after but firmly fitted to the dash, the neat way would be for a garage employee to remove the retaining screws when the car is in for a service or similar work and then go and get the unit at a later date. With it already prepp'ed for removal the car alarm wouldn't pose an issue.

If there is no dash damage it is hard to imagine how they removed a correctly installed DComand unit so quickly.

 

[NISFAN]

Can a stolen comand be fitted into another car and work properly? I didn't think this would be possible.

As for removing a comand, or any modern head unit from a car these days, it is really a 30 second job with the right tools.

As for the suggestion of securing it in, you could use torx tamperproof screws, or there are other security screws. Problem is, a mate of mine fitted his stereo years ago in a theft-proof way, and some thieves decided if they couldn't get his stereo, no one would be able to use it again. Destroyed the stereo, and slashed up his dash and interior.

 

[markjay]

Sorry to hear that.... I guess the only consolation is that the damage is limited to the cost of the new COMAND unit - had they messed-up the dash it would have been much bigger problem. Someone tried nicking the radio of my car some years ago (not Merc), they didn't manage to get the radio out but damaged the dash - at the time I wished it was the other way around...

 

[npuk]

Very suspicious. Did you just buy the car? Has the car been to a garage for work recently as asked above.

Procedure to remove the w211 comand is not that simple. Removing/Installing COMAND & Audio on E & CLS

Dont see how they did it so fast and with no damage if they were rushing to get it out.

BTW the Comand unit is useless without the nav processor and tuner in the boot.

Can a stolen comand be fitted into another car and work properly? I didn't think this would be possible.

Latest units do have anti theft protection but the older units dont.

 

[markjay]

BTW the Comand unit is useless without the nav processor and tuner in the boot.

Which proves what others said, i.e. probably stolen to order - in replacement of a known faulty head unit... in which case it will not show up on eBay either.

 

[Alfie]

Was the trim around it all still in place?

 

[Alps]

sorry to hear about your bad luck due to more lowlife scum, im surprised at the no damage part too, yes modern headunits in most other cars can be taken out quickly, but not in the E-class.

defo taken to order, im surprised (and glad) this doesnt happen more often as the units seem to have a good aftermarket value.

 

[agshull]

Hi Alfie
yes the trim is still intact
will post photo later

 

[johny5_uk]

Very sorry about the theft, I've had 2 units stolen from Bmw's before. The b@stards took the head unit from a 3 series 99 coupe in about 4 seconds after driving up to the side, smashing the passenger window and leaning in to my car! Got it all on CCTV from a customers site so I know how you feel.
Hopefully with the new comands being split from the displays they might be less sought after!?

 

[Merco]

Sorry to hear this - the Command units always look so secure. I am equally surprised by the lack of deadlocks on a Merc. Can this be right!? You'd think a car of this type would have all this thought through. True, the alarm worked but as has been said, if you know what yu're doing you can be in and out before anyone who gives a damn will be anywhere near the car!

 

[raymont]

Sorry to hear this - the Command units always look so secure. I am equally surprised by the lack of deadlocks on a Merc. Can this be right!? You'd think a car of this type would have all this thought through. True, the alarm worked but as has been said, if you know what yu're doing you can be in and out before anyone who gives a damn will be anywhere near the car!

MB explain absence of deadlocks by stating that they would impede emergency services trying to gain access after an accident.

 

[Merco]

Sure, but they could have a safety system like Audi have which releases the deadlocks on sudden impact. I would have expected this to be an easy one to solve/ copy from others!

 

[speedybiker]

hi all, had my comand system stolen yesterday, and i could not beleive
how easy it looked,
3am my e class parked outside my open window i heard the alarm go of
looked out of my window to see 2 lowlife runing away, Back door fanlight
smashed open door and 30 seconds later comand gone,
2 questions,
I thought doors would be dead locked and i thought the comand system
would be screwed into the dash
what could i do to stop this happeing again,

Sorry I dont see how this can be achieved in 30 seconds.
Infact I think its impossible to remove the comand in 30 seconds.

Alex.