Heads Up! Recent spate of W124 thefts

[chilsta]

Honest Johns recently reported that us W124 owners should be wary:

Fresh Spate of Mercedes W124 Thefts | Motoring News | Honest John

I went to look at 2 W124 TDs in London before I bought mine and the seller said that he'd had a couple of attempted thefts recently, resulting in mangled locks but fortunately they didn't get away with the cars. He said that a Vito had been seen crawling around the area where his cars are parked just before it happened, driven by what looked like eastern Europeans.

 

[trapperjohn]

124 prices are on the up again. A couple of diesel estates have recently fetched over £1400 on EBAY. 12V OR 24V it does not seem to matter.

 

[dinoy]

it was the west africans but they were after petrol models we lost three in my street, thanks for the heads up.

i lock my steering wheel, as the last time they had master keys and within 10 mins they were away, there were watching soon after taking dogs for night walk they commenced and they were away with the car by the time we were back 10-15 mins

 

[219]

They've cleaned up all the W123 models and have now moved onto 124's.

One of our local scrappys has a stack of about 15 190's - he won't break them as he has an African customer who comes over every few months and takes whatever he has .

 

[markjay]

They used to still the Peugeot 505 Familiale (estate).... I guess these are hard to find these days.

After all the W124 is probably the very last of the tough-as-nails MBs....

 

[aircut666]

I took a w124 which I'd paid £260 for, down to Mali last year and sold it for 1,000,000 CFA (about 1,600 EUR) so no wonder they're being nicked!

 

[markjay]

I took a w124 which I'd paid £260 for, down to Mali last year and sold it for 1,000,000 CFA (about 1,600 EUR) so no wonder they're being nicked!

The Ivory Coast if full of second-hand Toyota Corollas... once they end their first life cycle in Europe they start a second life in Africa. The latter usually lasts much much longer than the former.

 

[Tiff]

They've cleaned up all the W123 models and have now moved onto 124's.

One of our local scrappys has a stack of about 15 190's - he won't break them as he has an African customer who comes over every few months and takes whatever he has .

There are maybe 40-80 older Mercs in our local scrappies at any time, and nothing is sold from them.. They are kept in a seperate locked yard. I hope they don't come after mine!!

 

[jrexgis]

omg that's scary man, better be cautious

 

[dinoy]

these people will learn like the west african it is easier to buy them from scrappy or privately than enter into the theft of them but the gang needs to be caught, it seems one has to be careful in giving addresses if selling until they are actually near your property.

as a way to void giving them directions where they could find them!!.

 

[spock500]

Can't wait until they move onto the W202's..

My address is..and the key is under the third plant pot to the right

 

[Sonny Burnett]

glad i have the sensor keys