how easy is it to break into the car with the coat hanger trick?

[dakata24]

someone broke into my car & stole like $15 worth of quarters i had in my ashtray/change holder.

no broken windows, so im guessing they used something like a coat hanger, or similar to what they use when you lock yourself out of your car..

they tried jimmying my glovebox but was unsuccessful. left a nice souvenior of a screwdriver.

i guess im lucky they didnt smash my window open instead. but still. it bites! gotta find a new place to park. been parking there for 2 yrs without incident. my interior is pretty bare so there wasnt anything to attract them.

 

[destined]

damn that sucks. 15 dollars in quarters? do you need that much for meters?

 

[CRXican]

well chances are they've done it many times so it's very fast and easy

they probably have a slim jim

 

[BobDaMenkey]

It's actually fairly easy. I had one of my schools janitors do it when my keys fell out of my poket without my knowing(got locked in).

I knew a guy who kept some stuff in his van, but didn't have a key for it, so he'd always go get a coat hanger to open it up.

And the real sad thing is, someone royally fuxed up my drivers side lock when all they needed was a coat hanger to get whatever it was they wanted. I bought it like that, but still, it's rather annoying. I still need to get that fixed

 

[MaverickBP]

depends on the position of the lock...but it aint easy

 

[StageLeft]

I believe it's quite easy, and have confirmed that while sipohoning all of my neighbours' gas. I don't want to wreck their gas tank caps, so I pop it from the inside.

 

[yoda291]

it's really not hard, it just doesn't work the same in all cars.

 

[SKORPI0]

Not that hard if you really tried. Highly dependent on the position on the lock.

I had to dismantle my sunroof to get into my car when the locks got frozen/broken last winter. Hanger trick did not work. :frown:

 

[dakata24]

it was a 1995 acura integra. i guess those are common enough for the person to get alot of practice on..

i kept all those quarters for a rainy day. just in the slight chance my wallet was empty and needed some cash. plus for meters every now and then.

any point in filing a police report if nothing really valuable was taken? im definately not planning on parking where i used to. for now, $5/day parking lot for me till i can find an alternative free street parking..

 

[agnitrate]

Not as easy to use the coat hanger to solve other 9 month long problems.

 

[StageLeft]

Might as well file a PO report on the off chance it's been a rash lately in your area and maybe police will hang around more or something.

 

[Fingers]

People who break into vehicles for a living (pop a lock and theives) usually have heavy duty wire, heavier than a a coat hanger that is prebent for individual types of vehicles and a slimjim for back up. Once you learn one it takes about 2 seconds to brak in.

Of course those are people who know what they are doing. With a slimjim I'm okay, especially in cars I've done once or twice, usually under a minute, but in cars I've never done before it can take quite a while. There is a sienna that I still never figured out.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: Fingers
People who break into vehicles for a living (pop a lock and theives) usually have heavy duty wire, heavier than a a coat hanger that is prebent for individual types of vehicles and a slimjim for back up. Once you learn one it takes about 2 seconds to brak in.

Of course those are people who know what they are doing. With a slimjim I'm okay, especially in cars I've done once or twice, usually under a minute, but in cars I've never done before it can take quite a while. There is a sienna that I still never figured out.

Especially funny given your name, which sounds like a thief's name

 

[lancestorm]

Originally posted by: agnitrate
Not as easy to use the coat hanger to solve other 9 month long problems.

Wow. Just.... wow.

 

[Fingers]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: Fingers
People who break into vehicles for a living (pop a lock and theives) usually have heavy duty wire, heavier than a a coat hanger that is prebent for individual types of vehicles and a slimjim for back up. Once you learn one it takes about 2 seconds to brak in.

Of course those are people who know what they are doing. With a slimjim I'm okay, especially in cars I've done once or twice, usually under a minute, but in cars I've never done before it can take quite a while. There is a sienna that I still never figured out.

Especially funny given your name, which sounds like a thief's name

Got that nickname from having 2 of them ripped out of my hand while wiring a Blue marlin.

The experience I got from breaking in cars is when I briefly worked in a garage. Keys got lockin in cars accidentally all the time. Especially those bastards that have automatic locks when they sit for any period of time witht he engine off.

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

I know that on Dodge Rams all you have to do it stuck a screwdriver under the door handle at the right upward angle. The rod that controls the lock is unprotected.

Someone busted into mine that way, then tore apart the ignition cylender(sp), but didn't get away with it (they did this to 6 vehicles and did not get any). The fix? Get a rubber hose and place it around the rod.

 

[StageLeft]

Got that nickname from having 2 of them ripped out of my hand while wiring a Blue marlin.

The experience I got from breaking in cars is when I briefly worked in a garage. Keys got lockin in cars accidentally all the time. Especially those bastards that have automatic locks when they sit for any period of time witht he engine off.[/quote]Can't help it: pics?

 

[dakata24]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Might as well file a PO report on the off chance it's been a rash lately in your area and maybe police will hang around more or something.

good point. i guess ill head over after work and do that.


Ouch Fingers! were they able to reattach them?

 

[Fingers]

Originally posted by: dakata24

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Might as well file a PO report on the off chance it's been a rash lately in your area and maybe police will hang around more or something.

good point. i guess ill head over after work and do that.


Ouch Fingers! were they able to reattach them?

Yep, they are typing away right now. I have a great excuse not to wear a wedding ring now.

One of the ones ripped out was my ring finger. I'm just happy they fell on the deck instead of overboard.

 

[rh71]

alarms with pagers work nicely for those who care about their cars...

 

[elektrolokomotive]

Nearly impossible on my 95 'stang. Slim jim worked, though.

 

[bigrash]

I called a locksmith once coz i locked myself out of my car. He did it in like 30 seconds. Now everytime I get locked out, I use a hanger and it takes me like 2 minutes. Pretty easy.

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: agnitrate
Not as easy to use the coat hanger to solve other 9 month long problems.

WOW, just spit my tea everywhere...

 

[Czar]

get a pumper sticker that says "I got robbed and all I got was this lousy screwdriver"

 

[shimsham]

call the cops and file it. if the thief was dumb enough to leave the screw driver, i doubt they wore gloves. chances are this isnt the first time theyve done this, and the cops will have his prints etc. on file and can go pick him up. most thieves are stupid and dont cover their tracks or hide themselves very well. even if the cops dont catch the thief due to your case, they may pick them up in the future and can add another charge.