Car broken into!

[Nithin]

I'm certain I had locked it! Can a Honda Accord 2009 be opened without a key?

There was no obvious signs of break in. First I noticed my sunglasses missing and thought I'd misplaced it. Then I see the USB charger cable is gone as well. I had definitely not taken that out of the car.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Any car can be opened without a key and without obvious signs of a break in. Still far more likely that you forgot to lock it.

 

[HeXen]

There's lots of vids to show how to open a car door without slim jim in under a minute so I'm sure without a security system it's probably not too hard for someone to do.

At least that's all that was stolen and they didn't break your window. I had a broken window that cost me $200 to replace cause they thought my car had a system and it didn't, just an old cassette deck. They ripped the deck out and realized what it was then just left it hanging by the wires, they couldn't see too well cause I had no interior lights.

 

[Midwayman]

Lots of cars are trivial to break into. Especially frameless window models.

 

[ultimatebob]

I guess that you haven't seen those new universal car lock remotes yet. You can put those suckers in scan mode and can get many cars to remotely unlock themselves in minutes.

Someone used one of those to rip off an entire neighborhood of cars in one night where I live.

 

[destrekor]

There's lots of vids to show how to open a car door without slim jim in under a minute so I'm sure without a security system it's probably not too hard for someone to do.

At least that's all that was stolen and they didn't break your window. I had a broken window that cost me $200 to replace cause they thought my car had a system and it didn't, just an old cassette deck. They ripped the deck out and realized what it was then just left it hanging by the wires, they couldn't see too well cause I had no interior lights.

I've never had a window broken for theft purposes, but I did have a manual door lock (the key hole exterior) drilled and destroyed. Nothing was even taken, lol.

I had an aftermarket audio deck (faceplate removed) and a 3.5mm audio cable for aux connection sitting inside. That apparently was enough for them to actively drill the lock just to check things out. Fuckers. They were hoping I was stupid enough to leave either the faceplate or an mp3 player, or both, in the center console (which they rifled through, as well as the glove box).

I also had my Diamondback BMX bike stolen from the bike rack (this was all on OSU campus - at the southern limits - 10th and Worthington, which is west of High St... for those familiar with the region). Fuckers cut the lock chain. Taught me for my next bike (never bought another) to get a non-chain, super expensive lock.
The other lesson: keep audio wires out of sight in vehicle. Desperate assholes might go to extreme lengths.

 

[pete6032]

Very easy to break in. Once I locked my keys in my civic. AAA sent a guy out to unlock the car. He took a wedge-shaped piece of wood, stuck it in the front door toward the top of the window where the black window molding is, hammered it in with a rubber mallet, and then used a coat hanger wire to hit the power unlock button. It took him about 30 seconds and did not damage the car at all.

 

[nageov3t]

There's lots of vids to show how to open a car door without slim jim in under a minute so I'm sure without a security system it's probably not too hard for someone to do.

At least that's all that was stolen and they didn't break your window. I had a broken window that cost me $200 to replace cause they thought my car had a system and it didn't, just an old cassette deck. They ripped the deck out and realized what it was then just left it hanging by the wires, they couldn't see too well cause I had no interior lights.

+1

the one time my car got broken into, it was to steal a $10 portable CD player I had sitting on the passenger seat.

this was in like 2004, but I was driving a +10 year-old piece of shit that only had a cassette player so I used one of those crappy adapters to connect it to an equally crappy diskman, just to listen to CD's in the car.

maybe $20 worth of stuff stolen, but several hundred to repair the broken window.

 

[BUTCH1]

I guess that you haven't seen those new universal car lock remotes yet. You can put those suckers in scan mode and can get many cars to remotely unlock themselves in minutes.

Someone used one of those to rip off an entire neighborhood of cars in one night where I live.

Wow, did a Google search on this and came up with this video from NBC, seems they are targeting Honda products for now, (highest parts value) but if they can do it to a Honda I don't see why they couldn't do it to a GM or Ford..http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/06/07/be-aware-car-thieves-are-using-some-kind-of-universal-car-remote-and-cops-are-stumped/

 

[Nithin]

Wow, did a Google search on this and came up with this video from NBC, seems they are targeting Honda products for now, (highest parts value) but if they can do it to a Honda I don't see why they couldn't do it to a GM or Ford..http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/06/07/be-aware-car-thieves-are-using-some-kind-of-universal-car-remote-and-cops-are-stumped/

WTF! That is insane! At least they can't drive away with that device.

 

[BUTCH1]

WTF! That is insane! At least they can't drive away with that device.

Yea, with "rolling codes" one would think this to be nearly impossible, one article mentioned that if you see suspicious people around lock the door manually, that way no code gets transmitted that could somehow be cloned/duplicated..

 

[JManInPhoenix]

I drive a hail damaged 2004 corolla - that in itself is thief repellent. When I fly out of town for work and leave my car at the airport for days on end, I always make sure to park next to more expensive, better looking cars (which is pretty easy). If thief sees a mercedes, corolla & acura in a line I guarantee mine wont be picked.

 

[BUTCH1]

I drive a hail damaged 2004 corolla - that in itself is thief repellent. When I fly out of town for work and leave my car at the airport for days on end, I always make sure to park next to more expensive, better looking cars (which is pretty easy). If thief sees a mercedes, corolla & acura in a line I guarantee mine wont be picked.

LOL, I used to drive an old '72 Matador, same story, I would leave it unlocked all the time, even if someone stole it chances were 50/50 it would break down on them LOL.

 

[nageov3t]

I drive a hail damaged 2004 corolla - that in itself is thief repellent. When I fly out of town for work and leave my car at the airport for days on end, I always make sure to park next to more expensive, better looking cars (which is pretty easy). If thief sees a mercedes, corolla & acura in a line I guarantee mine wont be picked.

that's a great idea.

my parents used to encourage me to leave my car unlocked after the first break-in, but then I worried that I'd be leaving work at midnight only to find some crackhead sleeping in the backseat of my unlocked car (this was when I worked 4 pm - 12 am and 12 am - 8 am shifts in a bad neighborhood)

 

[Lean L]

I drive a hail damaged 2004 corolla - that in itself is thief repellent. When I fly out of town for work and leave my car at the airport for days on end, I always make sure to park next to more expensive, better looking cars (which is pretty easy). If thief sees a mercedes, corolla & acura in a line I guarantee mine wont be picked.

When I changed over to a larger car, I realized how amusing driving a small car was. You can toss it around easily and fit into small spaces. The most amusing thing is probably the fact that 40mph feels like 80mph. It's also scary for passengers who sit in your car haha.

 

[mizzou]

look closely at your car door handle and the keyhole. Look for unusual separation or puncture marks.

Chances are you didn't lock it or you didn't actually lose anything.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

one time i left my car unlocked to go into a store to buy a shovel and i came out and some druggie bitch was in the drivers seat. she said she was hiding from her boyfriend who was going to beat the crap outta her. i believed this and then she ran off. when i looked in the back seat she had stolen a laptop bag (luckily without a laptop in it) and my cell phone, and had dumped my briefcase out all over the backseat. fug that sucked, it taught me to always lock my car. later in the paper i read about some druggies in that area being arrested for breaking into cars at that parking lot, i meant to call the detective handling the case to at least get my phone back but i never had the time so i forgot about it. now i always cover anything that might look tempting with my coat/sports clothing. my biggest nightmare would be someone stealing one of my expensive road bikes, i know bike thieves are very determined and will find any way to steal something, not matter how you locked it up, you basically cant let your bike out of your site, at least here in san francisco

 

[ISAslot]

I leave my Tercel unlocked. I don't keep anything in it though, cept maybe an umbrella.

 

[Printer Bandit]

I keep my car unlocked and with the keys under the visor.

If it's okay for movies, then it's okay for real life.

 

[HeXen]

I keep my car unlocked and with the keys under the visor.

If it's okay for movies, then it's okay for real life.

Sometimes it pays off to have your car stolen.:biggrin:

 

[mrjminer]

I keep my car unlocked and with the keys under the visor.

If it's okay for movies, then it's okay for real life.

Jokes aside, I doubt this is as risky as some think. If someone is going to break into a car, chances are they are going to have the means to get into a car. I guess it would depend on whatever the ratio of break-ins occurring as crimes of opportunity vs. people planning to break into cars.

 

[nageov3t]

Jokes aside, I doubt this is as risky as some think. If someone is going to break into a car, chances are they are going to have the means to get into a car. I guess it would depend on whatever the ratio of break-ins occurring as crimes of opportunity vs. people planning to break into cars.

lots of crimes of opportunity, though.

I remember an incident awhile back in my parents upscale neighborhood.. someone(s) went up and down the block going into any car that was unlocked to steal the coins from the change cup, CD's, and any electronics that weren't bolted to the car.

presumably just some stupid kids, as they left the locked cars alone.

 

[xanis]

lots of crimes of opportunity, though.

I remember an incident awhile back in my parents upscale neighborhood.. someone(s) went up and down the block going into any car that was unlocked to steal the coins from the change cup, CD's, and any electronics that weren't bolted to the car.

presumably just some stupid kids, as they left the locked cars alone.

There was a rash of thefts in my parents' neighborhood a while back. People were leaving GPS units mounted to the window overnight with the doors unlocked. I think it took about 8 incidents before people wised up. /facepalm