Friends stolen ST. Just a rant, not a "please help to find"
bi22le - 24/9/17 at 01:39 PM
I was at a wedding in Coventry yesterday and during the service my friends focus ST was stolen. It was parked right next to my car.
CCTV shows them smashing the drivers window and then return with a laptop to start it. From smash to driving, 90 seconds!!
A different friend, but was with us, is a software programmer for the automotive industry. Apparently that year of focus has a massive issue as the
alarm will silence when you plug into the OBD2 port and software can be easily purchased allowing anyone to just reprogram a 'new key'.
The police had no interest in helping or trying to find the car. They turned down the invite of viewing the CCTV!
GUTTED.
bart - 24/9/17 at 04:43 PM
sorry to here that
as a matter of interest which year has problems ?
bi22le - 24/9/17 at 06:29 PM
I don't know exactly but some googling suggests that it is a problem across all models and has been an issue for a good few years.
My mates one was on a private plate but was around 2009 I would guess.
big_wasa - 24/9/17 at 06:56 PM
It's not just the new gen of fords that have this problem. You need to move or disable the obd2 port.
nick205 - 25/9/17 at 07:57 AM
I had a tatty old MK3 Escort stolen (in Manchester) many years ago - it leaves you (and others) feeling very deflated. Same issue for me as well -
the police couldn't have been less interested. It was found in north Wales from where I had to collect it with a flat blade screwdriver to start
it.
I feel for your pal and hope it get's resolved quickly and smoothly!
theduck - 25/9/17 at 10:37 AM
Its unfortunately very common. They either target cars like this that they can easily program new keys for or they break in to the house and steal
keys.
gremlin1234 - 25/9/17 at 04:30 PM
quote:
Originally posted by theduck
Its unfortunately very common. They either target cars like this that they can easily program new keys for or they break in to the house and steal
keys.
another trick is a radio jammer as you lock your car; so its not locked and alarm not set. thus they have access without breaking the
window/setting off alarm, to either steal contents, or program 'keys' via obd.
check it goes bleat/ folds mirrors/ flashes lights when you lock your car remotely
[Edited on 25/9/17 by gremlin1234]
nick205 - 26/9/17 at 09:47 AM
quote:
Originally posted by gremlin1234
quote:
Originally posted by theduck
Its unfortunately very common. They either target cars like this that they can easily program new keys for or they break in to the house and steal
keys.
another trick is a radio jammer as you lock your car; so its not locked and alarm not set. thus they have access without breaking the
window/setting off alarm, to either steal contents, or program 'keys' via obd.
check it goes bleat/ folds mirrors/ flashes lights when you lock your car remotely
[Edited on 25/9/17 by gremlin1234]
Think back to times gone by when you locked/un-locked the car with a key in a lock!
SJ - 26/9/17 at 10:28 AM
quote:
quote:
Originally posted by gremlin1234
quote:
Originally posted by theduck
Its unfortunately very common. They either target cars like this that they can easily program new keys for or they break in to the house and steal
keys.
another trick is a radio jammer as you lock your car; so its not locked and alarm not set. thus they have access without breaking the window/setting
off alarm, to either steal contents, or program 'keys' via obd.
check it goes bleat/ folds mirrors/ flashes lights when you lock your car remotely
[Edited on 25/9/17 by gremlin1234]
Think back to times gone by when you locked/un-locked the car with a key in a lock!
I remember coming back to my Alfa after a fortnights holiday to see the drivers door open and assuming some scroat had broken in. After realising
there was nothing missing and no damage I had to conclude I'd left the door open. Fortunately Alfa's engineers had though ahead and
cleverly designed the interior light switch on the door to rust up and stop working meaning that the interior light didn't come on the battery
wasn't flat.
Schrodinger - 26/9/17 at 11:49 AM
quote:
Originally posted by nick205
quote:
Originally posted by gremlin1234
quote:
Originally posted by theduck
Its unfortunately very common. They either target cars like this that they can easily program new keys for or they break in to the house and steal
keys.
another trick is a radio jammer as you lock your car; so its not locked and alarm not set. thus they have access without breaking the
window/setting off alarm, to either steal contents, or program 'keys' via obd.
check it goes bleat/ folds mirrors/ flashes lights when you lock your car remotely
[Edited on 25/9/17 by gremlin1234]
Think back to times gone by when you locked/un-locked the car with a key in a lock!
and all fords could be opened and started with a screw driver
Charlie_Zetec - 26/9/17 at 01:58 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Schrodinger
quote:
Originally posted by nick205
quote:
Originally posted by gremlin1234
quote:
Originally posted by theduck
Its unfortunately very common. They either target cars like this that they can easily program new keys for or they break in to the house and steal
keys.
another trick is a radio jammer as you lock your car; so its not locked and alarm not set. thus they have access without breaking the
window/setting off alarm, to either steal contents, or program 'keys' via obd.
check it goes bleat/ folds mirrors/ flashes lights when you lock your car remotely
[Edited on 25/9/17 by gremlin1234]
Think back to times gone by when you locked/un-locked the car with a key in a lock!
and all fords could be opened and started with a screw driver
I do recall something from a long while ago whereby the old Ford locks (hex-headed things) could be opened by splitting a tennis ball, holding against
the lock, then squeezing/hitting it sharply - the pressure caused the barrel to unlock, and hey presto, door could be opened....
Same key could also be used to lock most (if not all) other Fords with the same style lock barrel.
02GF74 - 26/9/17 at 04:54 PM
quote:
Originally posted by bi22le
The police had no interest in helping or trying to find the car. They turned down the invite of viewing the CCTV!
.
Surprised no one has commented on this.
What's the role of the police? Is it not to investigate crimes and hopefully bring the criminals to justice. Refusing to review evidence
surely is a failure to do their job and warrants a complaint to police complaints commission.
sdh2903 - 26/9/17 at 06:46 PM
quote:
Originally posted by 02GF74
quote:
Originally posted by bi22le
The police had no interest in helping or trying to find the car. They turned down the invite of viewing the CCTV!
.
Surprised no one has commented on this.
What's the role of the police? Is it not to investigate crimes and hopefully bring the criminals to justice. Refusing to review evidence
surely is a failure to do their job and warrants a complaint to police complaints commission.
Agree totally, that was the part of the story that shocked me most.
mark chandler - 26/9/17 at 07:39 PM
I do not think the police are that interested in theft anymore, my lockup was broken into, neighbours called them out as heard noise.
It was raining police turned up, Two cars in the lockup both with plates licensed to me, they just left with the broken door swinging open and did not
bother to contact me 
I popped over to collect something a couple of days later on to find the door shut with a bit of wood to wedge it shut, put in by the neighbours, it
had been swinging open for a day and they had chased away some other Scrotes having a look see. I had maybe £2000 of tools stolen, welder gas bottled
strikers, chainsaw etc, do not know if it was the original lot that broke in or some opportunists that stopped by.
I complained to the police, they sent someone to get fingerprints a week later and that was it, SOCO just said we need to be here within a few hours
really.
bi22le - 26/9/17 at 07:47 PM
Along a similar note there has been a massive backlash due to this request.
Many people correctly pointing out that bike crime is at its highest, and criminals using bikes to rob people, ransake shops and throw acid in
people's faces. The police would rather catch this guy harming no one.
http://www.visordown.com/motorcycle-news-general-news/police-appeal-find-rider-who-keeps-setting-cameras
mangogrooveworkshop - 27/9/17 at 04:42 AM
At least the incidents or car theft at gun point are minimal
In my former homeland daily people are shot for their car .
Even worse for the females who not only get hijacked but subsequently raped as well
during the theft of the car
If you think your police force is not interested or is useless they are a hell of a lot better than the ZA cops.
http://www.news24.com/southafrica/news/crime-stats-more-than-1-400-cars-hijacked-a-month-in-sa-20170303
The cops are so bad that the criminals break into the police station to steal their guns and confiscated drugs back.
Most of my relatives have had two or more cars taken or burglary’s
I once had a client who had had 17 burglary’s and lost four cars living in midrand.
And all those Technology hijacks using jammers , code grabbing and laptops are used every day in almost every car park across the country.
A theft of your car is a bad situation however if you are insurances are valid it goes a long way to helping you get back up and running.
Not so if you’re shot dead for it.
The stronger the car security measures just mean the criminals get more violent to obtain the keys witnessed first hand back home.
So be thankful you have a half baked police force totally tied up in red tape and Political Correctness
They could be totally corrupt and not interested in anything that remotely resembles crime fighting
[Edited on 27-9-17 by mangogrooveworkshop]