Take Off Your Stereo Face Out of the Car!!

trotter_inc

Car got broken into yesterday for the second time in four months.

First time was in Liffey Valley - car door ripped open and stereo + cds knicked, electrics and all ripped out with it - cost me over €800 to get fixed!

Yesterday - in broad daylight my windows were smashed and my BRAND NEW €300 stereo along with about 24 cds were taken from my car Parkwest - only 2 minutes from Liffey Valley!

The first time I had actually forgotten to take the stereo face off but yesterday I had it taken off and 'hidden' under the pasenger seat. The guys who stole it were no fools and probably know damn well that some people just stick it in the glove box or under the seat.

Just a reminder and warning to people to take their stereo face off and BRING IT WITH THEM no matter where you are going - PLEASE dont give these guys the satisfaction of taking your stereo!

Seth Brundle

Sorry to hear your bad luck.
Were the CDs visible? Also most people leave the headunit in the car (under the seat/glovebox/door pocket) and the thieves know this.
Many people won't go to liffey valley because of the thievery (I don't go because its a kip!).

trotter_inc

kbannon wrote:

Were the CDs visible?

No - they were in a black cd wallet which sits in a sort of storage area under the front seats.

So f*ckin pissed off - if only I could get my hands on the c*nts who did it!

dcGT

Sorry to hear that. It really does sicken me to hear this sort of thing. My stereo has been robbed twice. Both times, I had the face with me. Still, they robbed the rest of the unit. The first time they broke off one of my windscreen wipers to prise the front of the dashboard to get the stereo out. They also took my 2 rear speakers along with WHOLE rear parcel shelf they were bolted to. B*stards. Anyway, I still religiously take the front of the stereo with me everywhere I go. Every scumbag knows to check the glovebox or under the seat, so don't think that will save you. It's a pain in the arse, but I take EVERYTHING out of the car when I park it. If it's a dodgy area, I empty the contents of the glovebox into the boot and leave the glovebox empty and open, so the scum can see there's nothing in it before they get the idea of smashing the window to check. Also, people with aftermarket steering wheel remotes - detatch it if possible when you're leaving the car. This is obvious sign that there's a good system in the car. I prefer the card remotes myself, as they can be hidden from view. My window was smashed a couple of months back, but they got nothing due to the fact that there was nothing to take (face and CDs were with me) and the alarm went off.
Trotter_inc - do you have an alarm on the car?

DC.

trotter_inc

dcGT wrote:

Trotter_inc - do you have an alarm on the car?

Yeah - I have an alarm - in both cases when I was robbed the alarm was going off - but as usual security were no where to be seen! But then again - it might have happened just before I got there.

dcGT

trotter_inc wrote:

Yeah - I have an alarm - in both cases when I was robbed the alarm was going off - but as usual security were no where to be seen! But then again - it might have happened just before I got there.

Ah right. The alarm is only an effective deterrant, when there's someone around to do something about it I suppose. Maybe invest in a pager for the alarm, so you know when it goes off (within a 1km range). That's what I did. Very happy with it.

DC.

Pinkchick03

I have a really good radio/cd player in my car - I used to take out the face all the time and keep it with me - but stopped that cos I broke the case I used to put it in. I now leave it in the car - but from now on I will bring it with me. I would never think of bringing cd's with me - I've just too many to take out! Thing is i've a little remote to left of my sterring wheel that is a mushroom type shape - I don't think its very noticeable. Its stuck down so can't really take that with me

I was staying at a friends of mine place in Coolmines a week or two ago and her sister leaves her car there during the week. Little scumbags must have noticed the car sitting outside the house all week and broke into it - via the small window at the back of the car - they took her radio (pioneer) and all her cd's the little knackers. Its sickening to think someone broke into your car.

Sorry guys to hear about your cars being broken into!

My car was broken into a few years ago - they smashed my passenger window (electric) but they took nothing - it was before I got my stereo so I was lucky. I think they were looking for money though - otherwise surely they would have stole my car! There is still little pieces of glass hidden under the passenger seat - so hard to get them out with the vaccuum!

Anyway thats my contribution!

So Trotter_inc thanks for the advice - definitely going to start taking face out again.

dcGT

Pinkchick03 wrote:

I would never think of bringing cd's with me - I've just too many to take out!

I keep my CDs in a CD wallet (with no cases), so they're easy to take with me. They're all burned MP3 CDs too, so there are not too many!

DC.

Pinkchick03

dcGT wrote:

I keep my CDs in a CD wallet (with no cases), so they're easy to take with me. They're all burned MP3 CDs too, so there are not too many!

DC.

Yeah i have a cd wallet too - must put the cd's into it - silly me should have thought of that

Cheers!

Borzoi

Pinkchick03 wrote:

Yeah i have a cd wallet too - must put the cd's into it - silly me should have thought of that

Cheers!

Or just leave burnt copies in the car, it's what I do after been done over!

Sorry to hear about it trotter_inc :mad:

Jefferson Darcy

Makes you wonder about all these rocket-surgeons with massive Rockford Fosgate banners plastered all over their cars

Thanks for the tip - I have one of those Kenwood Masks but will make sure to remove all CDs from the car. I go to Liffey Valley regularly and usually see lots of dodgy types hanging around the carparks. I'm assuming the security co with their patrol SUV and myriad cameras were unable to help?

trotter_inc

Jefferson Darcy wrote:

I'm assuming the security co with their patrol SUV and myriad cameras were unable to help?

The alarm was going off when I got to it - not sure how long it was going off for. Was waiting for the security van for about 10 minutes - when he did arrive he could barely speak english - I had to write down my details for the lad as he couldnt understand me at all!

They caught the lad doing it on the camera in Liffy Valley alright - but they said they couldnt do anything about it - asked them why they couldnt do anything and they didnt even give me an answer.

I mean - why the hell cant they just put a photo of him up in Liffy Valley?? - someone is bound to know the scumbag!

dcGT

trotter_inc wrote:

They caught the lad doing it on the camera in Liffy Valley alright - but they said they couldnt do anything about it - asked them why they couldnt do anything and they didnt even give me an answer.

I mean - why the hell cant they just put a photo of him up in Liffy Valley?? - someone is bound to know the scumbag!

Useless, absolutely useless. What's the point in the cameras?

DC.

EKRIUQ

Well one good thing I don't have to worry as much as you lads up in Dublin, but will remember the tips next on the trip to the big smoke.

CrowdedHouse

Trotter inc Sorry to hear about the stereos,were they 'upgrade' models
I'm kind of puzzled by the robbery of stereos I thought most cars nowadays had a fairly reasonable one......or are they robbin' to replace the robbed!

rander00

There seems to be a load of this happening lately. Why are they all out robbing stereos. Knackers.

Thank god, i live in the countryside. But Scrublin is spreading all the time.

gs39t

Happened to me about a month ago, in my driveway. The CD player in my car never worked, hence i never bothered to remove the faceplate- some scumbag obviously didnt know this and decided to help himself. I dont get why the hell they still rob these things either.....well, its not like scumbags are bright :rolleyes:

Zaph

My car got broken into a couple of years ago at Killiney Dart station. I had taken the front off and left it in the glove compartment, but like others have posted, the b*st*rds probably guessed that and broke in anyway. They also took a load of CDs in a wallet, but they were all copies rather than originals for the very reason that the car could get broken into. My taste in music would not be that of your average thieving little scumbag so at least they would have been a bit disappointed by their haul.

After that happened I always take the front with me when I park at train stations, but I never would have thought about doing so at Liffey Valley, or any other shopping centre for that matter. That's about to change.

rander00

Maybe there for the foreign market. I mean, who is actually buying these stereos. I was never offered 1, nor any of my mates wit cars.

And you never really see them on sale at markets or such anymore. Hmmmmm!! We`d wanna leave a big dirty syringe behind the stereo for the bastards. Or just protruding from under the drivers seat, when you leave the car. just dont forget its there. Heh heh.

Seth Brundle

Presumably the same buyers of stolen video recorders, silverware or whatever the thieving scum rob from a house!

My old fiesta was broken into twice at Fairview dart station (once in full view from the ticket office). Bastards pulled the top of the drivers door outwards and unlocked it. Alarm went off but as you all know, nobody heeds. Anyway, nothing taken as I don't leave stuff there for them!

dcGT

rander00 wrote:

Maybe there for the foreign market. I mean, who is actually buying these stereos. I was never offered 1, nor any of my mates wit cars.

I wouldn't say these scumbags are that organised to sell to a foreign market. As for who is buying them, they will ALWAYS find buyers for this stuff. Most people are of the opinion "if I don't buy it, someone else will" thus perpetuating the entire cycle. They simply wouldn't bother robbing them if there was no demand.

DC.

Victor

trotter_inc wrote:

only 2 minutes from Liffey Valley

2 minutes by helicopter? (yes, even taking into account the new road)

cormie

Is there any "fake" stereo covers you can buy to make it look like an old crappy tape player? fix it when you're leaving your car, scatter a few tapes on the dashboard or passenger seat, hopefully they wont be bothered with a tape player! I have a tape player that I hook my iRiver H-140 up to, I always take it with me, or will put it BEHIND the glove compartment, I can reach my hand behind the GCP and there is actually a little platform it fits nicely on. Nissan Micra, 96 by the way:) although who in their right mind would target my car in the first place is beyond me, I think I'm safe.

D!ve^Bomb!

would the security guys give you a copy of the tape? if so, was it a good copy, colour.. if it was in or around liffey valley, you could take a trip down there one day with a few friends and 'patrol' the site,, you'd probably run into him,, with any luck...

ahhh, sweet revenge...

or you could bring the tape to the guards?

dcGT

cormie wrote:

Is there any "fake" stereo covers you can buy to make it look like an old crappy tape player?

They were popular a few years back, but they're very obvious. The odd motor factors might still have one in stock.

DC.

thetourist

hot tip

i havent actually done this myself but i heard about it yesterday and i might be implementing it after reading this post ( sorry all of you )


first you can store TONS of music on an ipod ( and of course it's built to take with you )

then there is a device which can be bought ( dont know where ---- sorry - try ebay ) which connects to the ipod and transmits it to the car radio !!!!

this means you can buy a crappy radio from argos with no tape or cd deck --- so it wont be attractive to thieves

i know a crappy radio might equal crappy sounds but if you get yourself good speakers and leave them behind the origional covers ( so they look like the car's origionals )then the sound will be OK

ps from kilkenny - had no idea situation was this bad in dub - nothing like that here !!! really -- at least not yet anyway


pps --- i'd say there's a good market for second hand stereos at things like car boot sales etc-

IANOC

the best anyone can do is always take the face with you and dont leave cds lying around and make sure the glovebox is empty and leave it open to say "up yours".
if people buy there will always be a demand :mad:

stratos

I personaly avoid liffey valley 'cos of the above. You can buy paging alarm system for your car, it comes with a small key ring device that pages you if your car is being tampered with. I am not sure however if this is a good idea. Do you really want to be the first on the scene. If your really just into music and not the way your player lights up, install your player under the drivers seat. it's easy enough to reach and put a blanking plate over the player hole in your dash. better still leave the hole visible with a few wires hanging out. who's gonna rob an already robbed stereo. It's worth it to have a look around after you park just a look see, is anyone watchin' you. they tend to. Coz they gotta know are you flitin in for a sec to return a video or goin' shoppin' with the missus. Leave nothing visible inside your car not even 5 cents.

John R

bobmurphy wrote:

this means you can buy a crappy radio from argos with no tape or cd deck --- so it wont be attractive to thieves

It doesn't really work like that. many of the theiving scum, particularly the junkies will happily trash your car for something worth a tenner, obviously a good stereo is more attractive but if they can get away with it they will nick anything.

bobmurphy wrote:

pps --- i'd say there's a good market for second hand stereos at things like car boot sales etc-

If you live in a scumbag area and know the "right" people there is a thriving market for any stolen item you can think of.

thetourist

BAD scumbag --- DOWN !

Silvera

After reading this thread, I have begun to take my stereo face with me when I park up in Dublin.......I used to just leave it under the seat.

...will think twice before goin to Liffey Valley again ! (not that there is much to see/buy there anyway )