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Where do all the keyless car thefts go?

MikeInWimbledon

MikeInWimbledon

Hardcore MB Enthusiast
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There's a huge amount of keyless car theft going on. Silly volumes of premium cars being taken from the streets and front gardens of London and the provinces. Lockable bollards appearing in front of driveways, and steering locks "back in fashion."

Simple question: where do they go? Especially the more arcane and valuable young motors?

Obviously Range Rovers used to disappear from the UK to reappear in African and Asian countries that drive on the Left, but are six-figure sports cars as "needed" in Cyprus, Zimbabwe and Pakistan?

Or does a 2021 Rolls Royce just end up as parts on Ebay?

https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2...ar-thefts-as-criminals-get-more-sophisticated

Keyless Car Theft Prevention - 9 ways to keep your car safe

Screenshot 2023-06-08 at 10.47.59.png
 
All of those 9 ways or prevention could be done in one go - fit a Ghost. If you're spending a heap of money on a nice car then a small amount on some decent security is a no brainer, rather than relying on manufacturer's security.
 
I'm led to believe the majority get broken up for parts. An awful lot of cars now come with keyless entry, not just what you describe as premium.

Keyless entry is, in my opinion, the most ridiculous vehicle "innovation" in recent years.
 
rich1068 said:
I'm led to believe the majority get broken up for parts. An awful lot of cars now come with keyless entry, not just what you describe as premium.
Click to expand...
My question was what happens to the premium - call it £150 - £500k virtually new, luxury cars

Is someone really breaking a new £350k Rolls Royce Cullian or £200k Portofino for parts on Ebay?

Cheap stuff: C63's and that - yes, they'll end up on Ebay and Mbclub.co.uk if the boys aren't paying cash for it in Soweto.



Screenshot 2023-06-08 at 11.57.45.png

Screenshot 2023-06-08 at 11.51.12.png
 
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They will be stolen to order for parts and now that there seems to be a global shortage of new replacement vehicle parts the theft + breaking of prestige vehicles seems to more lucrative than ever.

K
 
KennyN said:
No ,but someone needing a complete front end or a shell for this , might head off to Ebayski to get one.
K
Click to expand...
But that's just a cheap little nine year old Italian..

£80k 's worth on a good day. What happens to these near new ones?

(Scratches head) I can only think that someone just wants some specific bits,

unless there's a country where no-one notices that a car's had a new VIN plate "welded in."
 
I would imagine Russia has a need for all the spares it can get for western cars as they can no longer import them legally. I suspect they are shipped in containers to Estonia, Lithuania etc and then driven into Russia by the most likely route they can find where they are unlikely to be stopped or questioned.
 
MikeInWimbledon said:
But that's just a cheap little nine year old Italian..

£80k 's worth on a good day. What happens to these near new ones?

(Scratches head) I can only think that someone just wants some specific bits,

unless there's a country where no-one notices that a car's had a new VIN plate "welded in."
Click to expand...
As an aside, I wonder if there’s many thefts of electric motors ? I can’t see a Tesla going far fast in Africa
 
Harrythedog said:
As an aside, I wonder if there’s many thefts of electric motors ?
Click to expand...

Just wait till their batteries are kaput and watch the thefts of newish ones go through the roof , better hope the crims don't get involved in a police chase with an ICE engine patrol car or it will be a short pursuit.

K
 
rich1068 said:
I'm led to believe the majority get broken up for parts. An awful lot of cars now come with keyless entry, not just what you describe as premium.

Keyless entry is, in my opinion, the most ridiculous vehicle "innovation" in recent years.
Click to expand...
The 2006 Toyota Yaris that we use as a run around at home has keyless entry and push button start . Must have been the 'bomb' amongst pensioners transport back then ! :p
 
Petrol Pete said:
The 2006 Toyota Yaris that we use as a run around at home has keyless entry and push button start . Must have been the 'bomb' amongst pensioners transport back then ! :p
Click to expand...
I fear the "keyless entry" title is masking the fact that different manufacturers make it work in different ways.
In my C Class & SLC, I can double click and it will not work until the next time I press the key fob, which means it cannot be stolen by scum with laptops hanging about.

In later MB's you don't even have to double click as the keyfob goes to sleep after 2 minutes without any movement, again, anyone with a laptop cannot steal it.

My wife's Nissan works totally different, double clicking on hers means if someone gets into the car, through a window, they cannot open any of the doors from inside. But if you stand outside the car after double clicking, you can just reach out and the door will open. I assume this means that even after double clicking it's still emitting a signal that could be stolen by laptop. Who knows how many different varients there are by all manufacturers?
 
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