Damage from attempted theft

My Jeep has Lo-Jack installed. No kidding--authentic LO-JACK. PO put it in back in 2007! He said it was $2500 for lifetime service, including the "early warning" system. No way would I pay that, but it is kinda cool that it is there and it is being transferred into my name. Doesn't keep the car from being stolen, though. Just helps in recovery.

Reminds me that I DO have a Club that came with another car I bought. I need to find it and use it once the hard top comes off (and maybe even when it is on).

rob
 
If it doesn't...There are plenty similar this on the market to chose from.
 
If one digs around even a small amount on the web, there are several mentions of a car theft "documentary" that aired on TV many years ago. The reporter was chatting with a reformed professional car thief at a chop shop that was busted. The camera showed a pile of Clubs over in a corner fully intact. The reason they are intact is it only takes a few minutes (one demonstration was about 15 seconds) with a good hacksaw to cut through the steering wheel, displace the ends, slide the Club off and go on with the rest of the thefting. Car thieves like the Club, it tells them which vehicles are poorly protected and easy to snag.

As for the GPS tracking and calling Johnny Law so they will go get the vehicle. There are many things that have to be in place for that to work. First, if the vehicle is in motion, you need a way to convince the Law that you are not a disgruntled ex trying to cause some grief by having your ex harassed by the Law. Just because you tell them you are watching your vehicle being driven to Mexico by a thief doesn't mean they will believe you. (actually happened here in SoCal) I am not anti GPS tracking by any stretch but you have to look at it from the Law's view. You can say whatever you like, you just need a convincing argument to get them to chase it down.
 
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I have been giving this much thought lately. My Jeep is where I want it and the thought of some low life scum damaging it or stealing it has me looking at several options. I have a 2004 TJ with the module in the key. I was considering an internal alarm system as well as removing my fuel pump or starter relay when in a vulnerable area which is not often. I would like to hear what others do.
 
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mrblaine said:
If one digs around even a small amount on the web, there are several mentions of a car theft "documentary" that aired on TV many years ago. The reporter was chatting with a reformed professional car thief at a chop shop that was busted. The camera showed a pile of Clubs over in a corner fully intact. The reason they are intact is it only takes a few minutes (one demonstration was about 15 seconds) with a good hacksaw to cut through the steering wheel, displace the ends, slide the Club off and go on with the rest of the thefting. Car thieves like the Club, it tells them which vehicles are poorly protected and easy to snag.

As for the GPS tracking and calling Johnny Law so they will go get the vehicle. There are many things that have to be in place for that to work. First, if the vehicle is in motion, you need a way to convince the Law that you are not a disgruntled ex trying to cause some grief by having your ex harassed by the Law. Just because you tell them you are watching your vehicle being driven to Mexico by a thief doesn't mean they will believe you. (actually happened here in SoCal) I am not anti GPS tracking by any stretch but you have to look at it from the Law's view. You can say whatever you like, you just need a convincing argument to get them to chase it down.
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Good to know about the Club. Was thinking about getting one.
 
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lindsey97 said:
Open your hood, flip open your relay/fuse box, remove the starter relay or fuel pump relay. stick it in your pocket. But alas they all look the same, and could probably pull another and stick it in place of the one you removed..... I'm just trying to think of things to slow them down.
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I was thinking of doing the same thing. A thief is not going to spend time under the hood trying to troubleshoot the reason the Jeep will not start. They want in and out as soon as possible. Paired with a decent alarm system that cannot be bypassed, I would think the thief would look at easier targets.
 
chino1969 said:
I have been giving this much thought lately. My Jeep is where I want it and the thought of some low life scum damaging it or stealing it has me looking at several options. I have a 2004 TJ with the module in the key. I was considering an internal alarm system as well as removing my fuel pump or starter relay when in a vulnerable area which is not often. I would like to hear what others do.
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You already have the best theft deterrent. The SKIM can't be bypassed regardless of what the alarm sellers tell you. We can't even bypass it with the factory DRB scanner.

If you have working SKIM and I want to steal your vehicle, I have to scope it out, get the VIN, then I have to get a non SKIM PCM, pop the column cover off, unplug the SKIM module, open the hood and replace your PCM with mine, jack the ignition cylinder and then start it with a screwdriver. It's much easier to tow it and you can only stop that by parking in a place that denies access.
 
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My wife bought her first new car (1992 Grand Am) a few months before we met. Her grandfather bought her The Club that Christmas to keep it safe. I remember it being used a couple times and it probably worked pretty good back then because why cut a steering wheel on any car when more than 95% don't even use the club.

The SKIM does keep a car from being started but it doesn't stop the damage caused before thy find out it's there and doesn't stop anything from being towed away.

I think we need to do it the Dubai way.
 
Flivver250 said:
They would jail a car thief for a very long time and if there was the slightest cost to the victim, the thief would have to make 100% restitution. In all likelihood the thief would not be an Arab and at the end of all the punishment they would be deported forever. Crimes like this are almost unheard of here. Criminals would rather go to the states where thievery is generally ignored by our legal system. Here you get jailed for a bad check. They don't play ball with criminals.
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As it should be.
 
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mrblaine said:
You already have the best theft deterrent. The SKIM can't be bypassed regardless of what the alarm sellers tell you. We can't even bypass it with the factory DRB scanner.

If you have working SKIM and I want to steal your vehicle, I have to scope it out, get the VIN, then I have to get a non SKIM PCM, pop the column cover off, unplug the SKIM module, open the hood and replace your PCM with mine, jack the ignition cylinder and then start it with a screwdriver. It's much easier to tow it and you can only stop that by parking in a place that denies access.
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So Blaine, I'm good to go with a functioning SKIM? There are very few times I am in a questionable area.
 
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