Another attempt to nick my Octavia vRS

stratos

Just further on window alarm types.
I notice most companies are fitting reed type switches only on windows, backed up by an infrared motion sensor, the reed switches only pick up if a window is opened.
In my opinion this is not good because in my experience ir motion sensors are notoriously fault,
Each window frame should have an inertia sensor fitted as standard, this detects vibrations on the window frame.
It is wired back to an anyliser( spelled wrongly I think ) circuit in the master panel.
This helps it sort out background vibrations from, lets say someone removing a window pane.
The new ones can even detect the old ball bounce trick.
This is where a crim walks by his target house and throws a tennis ball lightly at the window, when he knows your house is empty and the alarm on, this helps him to determine if you have inertia sensors, and not come back later when it's dark.
Most windows are externaly glazed, that is to say by removing 4 plastic bits of trim the window pane can be removed.
This is why reed switch types imo are next to useless.

gobby

Why dont ye just get the unalarmed window alarmed?

John R

gobby wrote:

Why dont ye just get the unalarmed window alarmed?

Why don't you read the half-dozen detailed posts directly above about window security?

PaddyFagan

PaddyFagan wrote:

Windows - they are of the type described, I believe "Externally glazed" is the technical term - I have a couple of companies coming out to look at them and advise.

There seems to be a lot of interest in this topic, so to update - I have a quote to replace the unit (it's big) at just over 4K with an internally glazed uPVC one. I will get more quotes and see what I can get.

This window is alarmed, with both reed (open/closed) and vibration sensors. (and there is a IR sensor in the room as well).

It also looks like all the existing uPVC windows in the house have the security tape fitted - it was "just" the large wooden window at the back of the house that didn't :mad:

Paddy

gobby

John R wrote:

Why don't you read the half-dozen detailed posts directly above about window security?

Too lazy

MercMad

Sorry to hear of your troubles Paddy................I really hope you dont get rid of your car just becauise of these scumbags !

I had similar problems earlier this year, they tried to take out the rear kitchen window. We ahve Phonewatch but that didn't even deter them. I reckon they knew how long they had befor ethe cops got there and they werent bothered about the neighbours seeing them !

We reckon that there was a bunch of folk distributing bags for people to throw out all their old clothes etc. There are some legit companies/charities doing this but these guys were doing the rounds and breaking into houses to get what they could. If they were ever challenged they could claim that they were collecteing their own bags of clothes. They could have anything in the bags and also had some form of excuse for setting off an alarm or being on someones property.

Anyway this is slightly different to your issue as they may not have been after the cars but they were trying to get into the house in a similar way!

What I did was bought 3x 500W Floodlights with PIR, 2x Surveillance cameras (off eBay for about €50) which could be wired remotely into the TV/vidoe, so no drilling and routing cables etc., just a 12v DC power supply which I hung down from the attic.

I put a security grill over the rear window (only one of mine was a threat as the others were either innaccesible or there were better doors windows in the way) This grill can slide back on the outside wall, out of view. Its a trellis type, very strong, and looks fine even when pulled accross. We leave it accross all the time in fact.

The cameras switch on the TV or Video when they sense movement and obvioulsy the floodlights switch on. There are inertia sensors on the windows and there are wheel clamps on the cars. I leave the keys of the cars in the hall, if they are that desperate they can have the cars, I just dont want them up the stairs !

For your case, get wheel clamps, floodlights with mesh, and agrill on the window !

Nuttzz

I had the same problem as you paddy, I have a dog and the security lights. They broke into the back of our house and fed the dog, the security light in the back gave them light to work with so they could see what they were doing IMO thankfully the keys were upstairs so i was only down an ipod and mobile phone

Changing / respraying the car wont work, they know what it is and were you live.

Talking to the detective (who is a friend of the GF) there are a number of thief rings about however they are non confrontational, they just want the car (they steal to order) they don't want to be up on GBH etc. He advised us to alarm everything (the house just had a basic alarm system) bring the keys to the bed room and have a lock on your bedroom door and a panic button in the bedroom. If you know someone is in the house, lock yourself into the room and hit the panic button

Mailman

@mercmad
Is the image on those cameras clear enough to identify those thieving scallywags if needed?

unkel

MercMad wrote:

Sorry to hear of your troubles Paddy................I really hope you dont get rid of your car just becauise of these scumbags !

I sure hope you won't get rid too, Paddy!

The same thing happened to my father in law back 10 years ago when his brand new Rover 620TI (fast 4 door saloon - loved as a get away car by serious criminals) was attempted to be stolen several times. Around that time fast 4 door saloons were the major target for professional criminals

He gave up and bought a VW Jetta

Obviously he had to change that after a few months nearly killing himself with boredom, but he never got another car as nice as that Rover

If I were you, I would not try and further secure my house. A tracker device would be the only thing I would contemplate

Borderfox

I had a Honda Civic VTI about 7 or 8 years ago and the first thing I did to it was to fit a RAID snap-off steering wheel, no airbag on the Civic so was able to do it myself. I was approached by some guy in North Strand who told me where I lived and worked and what times I worked but that they couldn't nick the car without the steering wheel on.... I know it will mean losing the drivers airbag but might work out. I think all the electronic stuff is grand but it's the visible mechanical detterent's that I think work better...... Hope this helps

Our man in Havana

I was approached by some guy in North Strand who told me where I lived and worked and what times I worked but that they couldn't nick the car without the steering wheel on...

You mean a knacker car thief? :eek:

Borderfox

Bond-007 wrote:

You mean a knacker car thief? :eek:

Yeah..

MercMad

Why would a removable steering wheel be any more of a deterrent than an exterior wheel clamp ?? (As in a parking clamp)

Our man in Havana

MercMad wrote:

Why would a removable steering wheel be any more of a deterrent than an exterior wheel clamp ?? (As in a parking clamp)

Try steering a car with no steering wheel.

ciarsd

Bond-007 wrote:

Try steering a car with no steering wheel.

speaking of which..

one of my brothers new 3 Series was broken into a couple of months ago. they were there for the sole purpose of taking the car with them - which thankfully they were unsuccessful in doing

BUT...

instead, the ripped the dash apart, took the BMW Business headunit - broke the mock carbon fibre dash trim and stole the steering wheel!! they left a vice grips on the steering rod that the wheel attaches to - i presume if they got it started they'd attempt to drive and steer using this

we came to the conclusion that the steering wheel was taken out of spite-to be a bast@rd so to speak OR for the purpose of using/selling the airbag/leather multifunction steering wheel?

5500

Bond-007 wrote:

Try steering a car with no steering wheel.

Its very very possible to do with a vice grips,The ****s have a way around everything

Borderfox

eireal wrote:

Its very very possible to do with a vice grips,The ****s have a way around everything

With the removable one what is left where the steering wheel is would be quite difficult to put vice grips on and even if they did maybe by some fluke they might has a nasty accident involving themselves. Anyway in all the years that I had the Civic it was never touched even parking in a mates house fairly regular in Civic city!!

Supercell

Why not get one of these bad boys?


Highly visable, Thatcham level 3 approved, they won't even bother breaking into the house for keys if they see it (whether they realise what Thatcham cat 3 defence means is another matter though ..) given the hassle getting it off the steering wheel.

Ratchet

Longfield wrote:

Why not get one of these bad boys?


.....QUOTE]
i found my in the garden when local dudes tried to nick my CRX

Supercell

Jaysus! Am suprised!! they must REALLY have been determined !! this is cat 3 approved afterall!!..ok thats off the shopping list then .

Our man in Havana

Cat 1 is yer only man!

Ratchet

i say they where at it for a while . right outside the house too f3ckers.

Big Balls

I've had two Golf GTIs - a MKIV and now a MKV and never (touch wood) have had a problem.

I have two Rottweilers too though and one of them has a head as big as most humans

I have the full disc lock which is Thatcham approved which I use from time to time if leaving the car on the drive for more than a few hours.

Where I live (a decent part of Dublin) I have heard of 3 GTIs going in the night in the last few months so it's not the nicest feeling in the world knowing your hard earned car is a target. I try to avoid having to stop for petrol at night now too since I got the new GTI as they just attract too much attention.

RicardoSmith

I had the full disk lock on my old CRX. A car that you could rob with a spoon. Had the car for three years and it was never touched. The one night I forgot to put it on, they tried to take it badly damaging the car in the process. Still have the lock in the shed somewhere.