Where do all the keyless car thefts go?

[Will]

Crime evolves over time. Cars have been stolen ever since they were invented, and before that no doubt horses and carriages were taken.

Keyless entry has been around since the last millennium. Mercedes have had it for ages, I had a year 2000 CL with keyless go.

Back then, most cars were stolen through domestic break-ins, keys fished through letterboxes or being taken with force or distraction whilst out driving (£100k SL55s being tapped up behind in traffic, and taken GTA style)

My point is, you have to assess the risk and take reasonable precautions that suit your circumstances.

No point in becoming paranoid over stuff, enjoy life but take care

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

My point is, you have to assess the risk and take reasonable precautions that suit your circumstances.

No point in becoming paranoid over stuff, enjoy life but take care

I’m asking the question because I don’t know what happens to a stolen new luxury (£150+k) car.

Range Rovers? Whatever!

GLE’s ? Who cares ?

But who takes over a new stolen luxury car?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

A few years ago I saw a line of a dozen or so nearly new SUVs - being driven by male drivers on their own - following each mother on to Eurotunnel.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

A few years ago I saw a line of a dozen or so nearly new SUVs - being driven by male drivers on their own with no passengers - following each other on to the Eurostar.

My spider senses told me that it wasn’t car journalists doing a group test, or friends going on a driving to the Alps and swinging by the Nurburgring on the way back.

I mentioned it to a member of Eurostar staff and they said it happens all the time but didn’t say anything further, so whatever they’re up to it was generally accepted.

 

[oldguy57]

I’m asking the question because I don’t know what happens to a stolen new luxury (£150+k) car.

Range Rovers? Whatever!

GLE’s ? Who cares ?

But who takes over a new stolen luxury car?

I would guess that most are shoved into a container and go to far away places with fake id's or invoices. There have been reports of cars being found in Africa, South America etc. One video showed a yard in Africa with a large number of high value vehicles covered in dust and mud, all stolen abroad. What happens to them then I wonder - I guess if they are of high value they are returned to the UK for salvage by Insurers.

 

[Petrol Pete]

I saw an article some time ago showing stolen cars on a sale lot in Africa somewhere , most still had their UK (and other) number plates on , Insurance companies just paid out and looked the other way . RHD 4x4 popular in sub Sharan Africa.

I also watched a documentary where they followed stolen cars from USA and Canada that were being sold overseas with no attempt at disguising the cars identity.

While we are asking where the really rare stuff goes , where is the Richard Mille 'one of one' custom built watch that was stolen off the wrist of Lando Norris a few years back ?

No box , no paperwork , a completely unique watch built for Lando that is now due a service (and can only be serviced by the manufacturer) . Someone has it ...and it's completely worthless. Some crooks are just dumb.

 

[ALFAitalia]

Sold to a collector for a fraction of is worth (but still enough to make it worth while) probably...like most other collectables and rare and expensive pieces of art.
Someone will be able to service that watch that's for sure....if they bother.

 

[Bellow]

Sold to a collector for a fraction of is worth (but still enough to make it worth while) probably...like most other collectables and rare and expensive pieces of art.

Sold to the criminal underworld for the kudos - and to be used as collateral in black market deals.

 

[Dippo]

Here's an advertisement feature from Automotive Management. I hadn't heard of thieves sticking cheap trackers on cars before, but I suppose it makes sense.

UK car theft increases dramatically

Advertisement feature from PIB Insurance Brokers

www.am-online.com

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Here's an advertisement feature from Automotive Management. I hadn't heard of thieves sticking cheap trackers on cars before, but I suppose it makes sense.

UK car theft increases dramatically

Advertisement feature from PIB Insurance Brokers

www.am-online.com

I had a car stolen in 2016 and as I regularly visited Birmingham city centre the Police suspected that I may have been targeted by a gang known to attach a tracker to target cars and then track it’s movements to work out where and when is best to steal it.

 

[JoolsB]

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.

This.

 

[Petrol Pete]

Sold to a collector for a fraction of is worth (but still enough to make it worth while) probably...like most other collectables and rare and expensive pieces of art.
Someone will be able to service that watch that's for sure....if they bother.

No chance . it's worthless.

 

[neilrr]

Kind of on topic.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/21/africa/west-africa-benin-used-cars-climate-intl/index.html

 

[DITTRICH]

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.

It is unlikely that a car could be taken across the border without a set of registration documents. Of course, such documents can be "produced" but it is a hassle. You cannot take in more than 50 kgs of personal baggage across land borders. I think it far more likely that cars or parts are shipped by rail or sea. Gone are the days of lorries queueing to get across the borders of Estonia or Latvia. And Asian manufacturers are snaffling market share from the Europeans. And I speak from having personally crossed the Latvian border many times in the last 20 years.

 

[rf065]

It is unlikely that a car could be taken across the border without a set of registration documents. Of course, such documents can be "produced" but it is a hassle. You cannot take in more than 50 kgs of personal baggage across land borders. I think it far more likely that cars or parts are shipped by rail or sea. Gone are the days of lorries queueing to get across the borders of Estonia or Latvia. And Asian manufacturers are snaffling market share from the Europeans. And I speak from having personally crossed the Latvian border many times in the last 20 years.

You only need documents if you go through official border controls, car thieves under cover of darkness have been moving cars across borders for years all over the world. The latest news in the UK is farmers are getting farm machinery stolen since the Ukraine war started. They are mainly looking for anything with GPS units as you cannot get them in Russia anymore due to sanctions.

 

[Londonscottish]

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.

It's more than keyless entry these days, though. They just patch into the DOB circuit via one of the end points - eg the one for the headlights - and the get the car to unlock and start that way.

In some cases (eg my neighbour's RR) they use a hole cutter to try to get to one of these connectors. They failed and left holes in he hatch and roof.

Would a Ghost prevent that method? Maybe it would.

 

[HB]

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.

Plenty of parts go to Russia from the Middle East and Asia. They’re short of nothing.

 

[DITTRICH]

You only need documents if you go through official border controls, car thieves under cover of darkness have been moving cars across borders for years all over the world. The latest news in the UK is farmers are getting farm machinery stolen since the Ukraine war started. They are mainly looking for anything with GPS units as you cannot get them in Russia anymore due to sanctions.

I think that you have under estimated the difficulties cars face when crossing borders from Latvia and Estonia to Russia without using the main roads. A general blanket statement without any evidence to back it up? I don't buy this hypothesis of yours, sorry. Its not like Europe's internal borders.

 

[JoolsB]

Still a few countries down in south east Africa use RHD too. plenty of vids around of sea containers full of stolen cars.

 

[ALFAitalia]

There are about 196 countries....50 drive on the left......that's quite a potential market for stolen UK RHD cars.