YACT: How do I thwart would-be thieves?

[DingDingDao]

I drive an Audi A4, and last week my drivers' side mirror was stolen in my parking lot on campus here at UCLA. The entire housing was ripped from the mirror mount, so the mount is still on my car, with no mirror attached.. No, it wasn't knocked off by another car, the spot next to my car was a no-parking striped zone.

My question is this: how do I thwart a future attack? I'm gonna be here for another year, until I finish my MS. The mirror housing is attached via two friction pins, so it only take a strong yank to remove the mirror. The pins and the mounting points are metal.

Here are a few ideas I have:

1) Weld the mounting points. The only thing this will prevent is me removing the mirror from the mount. Thing is, I can't think of any reason why I would need to remove the mirror anyways, since I can remove the entire mount via a different set of internal bolts.

2) Hyper-sensitive car alarm. This is really freaking annoying to other people, but it will certainly draw attention to anyone who breathes too hard on my car.

Any suggestions? What I really want is for people to respect others' property and leave my car the fvck alone.

 

[mwmorph]

electrified body, automated mace turret, flamethrowers under body,etc

 

[ajayjuneja]

2) Hyper sensitive alarm

 

[BD2003]

Why the hell would someone steal your mirror?

 

[JohnCU]

Originally posted by: BD2003
Why the hell would someone steal your mirror?

 

[ironcrotch]

Originally posted by: BD2003
Why the hell would someone steal your mirror?

so they could sell it on ebay to pay for their internet habit

 

[DingDingDao]

Originally posted by: BD2003
Why the hell would someone steal your mirror?

I haven't the slightest earthly fvcking clue, especially since they didn't take mount, which renders it virtually useless. Plus they only took one...

I don't care if the thieves are retarded or not. I need to protect my car from thieves of all IQ levels.

 

[DingDingDao]

Originally posted by: ironcrotch

Originally posted by: BD2003
Why the hell would someone steal your mirror?

so they could sell it on ebay to pay for their internet habit

I've been keeping an eye on ebay to see if my mirror pops up. I hope the thieves aren't that stupid, because if they do, I'm all over them.

 

[BD2003]

Well then, if its essentially useless, they wont be able to sell it, will realize soon enough its not worth stealing again, and you wont have to worry about it. Or if they needed it for their car, they dont need another. Problem solved.

 

[jammur21]

Originally posted by: BD2003
Why the hell would someone steal your mirror?

I have no idea, but this isn't the first time I've heard of this happening to people at UCLA. Which lot were you in?

 

[OS]

as much as I f*cken hate car thieves and crooks, this is probably not a fight worth picking. If you somehow make the mirror next to impossible to remove, they may damage the rest of the door trying to get it off. And when the thief realizes that it's not coming off, he might key/slash/otherwise f*ck up your car to spite you back.

The best thing in the case is to just park it in a well lit area with foot traffic passing through.

 

[TechnoKid]

Originally posted by: OS
as much as I f*cken hate car thieves and crooks, this is probably not a fight worth picking. If you somehow make the mirror next to impossible to remove, they may damage the rest of the door trying to get it off. And when the thief realizes that it's not coming off, he might key/slash/otherwise f*ck up your car to spite you back.

The best thing in the case is to just park it in a well lit area with foot traffic passing through.

As mush as I hate the possiblity of getting door dings from neighboirng cars, it is always a better idea to park near other cars to thwart thieves. I think I have read this in many insurance tips/guides. Oh and never park inbetween two white vans; be very suspiciuos if two white vans/large trucks park on both side of your car.

 

[amol]

LOJACK in case it is stolen

 

[JulesMaximus]

Drive a 1985 Plymouth Reliant. You'll never have to worry about thieves again.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: DingDingDao

Originally posted by: ironcrotch

Originally posted by: BD2003
Why the hell would someone steal your mirror?

so they could sell it on ebay to pay for their internet habit

I've been keeping an eye on ebay to see if my mirror pops up. I hope the thieves aren't that stupid, because if they do, I'm all over them.

Because you would recognize the mirror stolen off your car being that it's identical to the mirror on every other Audi A4 built that year? Good luck with that...:roll:

 

[DingDingDao]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: DingDingDao

Originally posted by: ironcrotch

Originally posted by: BD2003
Why the hell would someone steal your mirror?

so they could sell it on ebay to pay for their internet habit

I've been keeping an eye on ebay to see if my mirror pops up. I hope the thieves aren't that stupid, because if they do, I'm all over them.

Because you would recognize the mirror stolen off your car being that it's identical to the mirror on every other Audi A4 built that year? Good luck with that...:roll:

It's an aftermarket mirror with a serial number on it. Thanks for jumping to conclusions. :disgust:

 

[DingDingDao]

Originally posted by: jammur21

Originally posted by: BD2003
Why the hell would someone steal your mirror?

I have no idea, but this isn't the first time I've heard of this happening to people at UCLA. Which lot were you in?

Lot 7, right next to the elevators.

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Drive a 1985 Plymouth Reliant. You'll never have to worry about thieves again.

Really? What about one that runs 10's in the quarter mile at over 130 MPH?

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: DingDingDao

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: DingDingDao

Originally posted by: ironcrotch

Originally posted by: BD2003
Why the hell would someone steal your mirror?

so they could sell it on ebay to pay for their internet habit

I've been keeping an eye on ebay to see if my mirror pops up. I hope the thieves aren't that stupid, because if they do, I'm all over them.

Because you would recognize the mirror stolen off your car being that it's identical to the mirror on every other Audi A4 built that year? Good luck with that...:roll:

It's an aftermarket mirror with a serial number on it. Thanks for jumping to conclusions. :disgust:

Well, you didn't say that in your post. How the hell would I know that? :disgust:

Who changes the mirrors on a car anyway? Do the aftermarket mirrors change lanes for you or something? Stock Audi mirrors are that bad? :disgust::roll:

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Evadman

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Drive a 1985 Plymouth Reliant. You'll never have to worry about thieves again.

Really? What about one that runs 10's in the quarter mile at over 130 MPH?

It looks pretty much like any other k-car of that era. I still say nobody would touch it.