STOLEN in SFO: GTRV 4x4

[REF]

No, not the same van. No pop top and has a slider door, doubt the slippery basterds would post it up on CL anyway. Anybody on here the owner? Or know the van? I would think this thing is already on its way or packed in a container slated for Saudi Arabia, or parted out.....bummer!

[ipvirus]

Originally Posted by REF

No, not the same van. No pop top and has a slider door, doubt the slippery basterds would post it up on CL anyway. Anybody on here the owner? Or know the van?

My thought really was that a person flipping the vehicle could be getting interest by posting a similar car, without full details. Bait (with cheaper can) and switch (with an upsale of amazing deal, in a sense.

... already on its way or packed in a container slated for Saudi Arabia, or parted out.

This topic is fascinating to me. I am very interested to know who the stolen car market is, and those that (willingly) fill that demand. Anyone know any investigated reporting/books done on the topic? This seems like a good topic for Vice to do a piece on.

[MountainBikeRoamer]

This post has really piqued my curiosity.

2 things I'm now pondering:

1) Do most of you think that Sportsmobiles are visible targets for thieves? I would have thought that many of them don't look like they're tremendously worth stealing (as in, MOST SMB's don't look like $50K+ vehicles, they just look like raised/lifted "redneck vans" to the average person's eye. Which is why I like them......they're kinda stealth to most people, and they mostly don't invite too much attention.)

2) Are Ford E-series Vans fairly easily stolen? (Easily-defeated steering-column interlock and ignition/theft deterrent/factory alarm?) If so, what are things Sportsmobile owners can do to make their vans more difficult to steal (and obviously so from the outside, such that potential thieves are less likely to try?)

Definitely feel for the guy who lost his van, that thing looked like not only a lot of value tied up in it, but also a lot of work/time/love, as is the case with most SMB's. Not cool

[86Scotty]

My .02

1. Yes, absolutely. Mine gets wayyyy more attention than I want it to, and it's just a spruced up 19 year old forgotten van! It gets attention everywhere! I kinda get tired of it. Everyone I pass or get passed by is always breaking their neck to check it out. I live in an almost completely SMB free part of the world so maybe that's the biggest part of it. Also, as popular as blingy 4wd diesel trucks are here, I think most people realize that all the expensive additions (wheels, bumpers, nerf bars, rear boxes and spares, lights, roof boxes) would turn a quick buck at one of our 1000 pawn shops.

2. From what I've been told they are one of the easiest vehicles to steal. Also, from what I hear, Ravelco is the only absolutely bulletproof theft deterrent, and perhaps add a pit-bull on full-time duty. I think the biggest way for people to keep their vans from being stolen is, A. to not show it off. Mine is not a daily driver. It stays parked in the back yard most of the time. If I lived on a main road I would keep it in a garage. B. Don't put stickers advertising your toys all over it. I'm guilty of this in the past, but hopefully older and wiser now. Apple stickers? You're asking for it. KTM, high dollar stereo equipment brands, etc.? No way I'm advertising 'steal me' with any of those.

Also, most of the burglaries I hear of are contractor vans. Thieves know that someone is driving around a big unmarked box for some reason. Cause it's full of tools! Or other expensive equipment that can be sold easily. I worry much more about parking my Ford van than my 2 older BMWs anywhere. I recently bought a Jeep with only a soft top too, and I certainly worry about parking that thing in public.

[MountainBikeRoamer]

Had no idea the Ford vans (and apparently pickups) were so easy to steal.....something to keep in mind at all times for sure.

Ravelco looks pretty amazing!
Might have to consider one of those at some point.

On a Sportsmobile's Visibility / attractiveness as a thief target:
86Scotty, your comments about how these vans actually DO end up attracting the wrong kind of attention really sunk in with me. I have to admit that I've noticed it seems to be the case as you stated it, despite initial logic making me think otherwise.

I keep trying to think of a way to make an SMB look a bit less conspicious, or attract a little less attention.....but it does seem it's a pointless (unreachable) endeavor. I noticed (the very first week I bought it, when driving it down the California coast from Mendocino back to LA) that "transient types" seem to be very strongly attracted to it. It's like grifters/homeless have some sort of "radar" in their heads that draws them to live-able vans.

Observation:
Despite SMB's being sometimes labeled proudly as "bug-out vans" (for when some sort of presumed apocalypse or other SHTF scenario plays out), these might not actually be the best choice of vehicle to make a stealthy escape with (or hide out in.)

Seriously. The zombies seem to get drawn STRAIGHT to these things.

[REF]

On that same subject. My DP-tuner has a no start feature, I haven't tested it out yet. You set the programer switch to "0", unplug it and take it with you.

[shenrie]

an easy anti theft device is a hidden toggle switch wired to your fuel pump. no fuel = no run.

on a previous car we hid the toggle inside the shift boot and if we ended up someplace less than desirable we would just flip that toggle upon leaving vehicle. yes, there was a few times where i sat there wondering why the hell the car wouldnt start...

ive also read that if you end up someplace (the example used was a ballgame) where you see shady people hanging out in the parkinglot, dont use your keyfob to lock the doors of your vehicle. i guess wouldbe thieves have devices now that can read and playback the signals from keyfobs. once you start walking away and hit that button, their little device copies that signal. then when your out of site they have easy entry into you car. article mentioned to lock doors with inside door locks instead. not sure how i feel about this method though. if i used this method, the doors of van would be locked, but alarm not engaged. car is different though. if doors are locked, alarm is activated, keyfob or not.

[arctictraveller]

That's awful, I worry all the time about mine. It sounds like there is a bit of a problem in the Bay Area, I remember a guy in Berkeley had his Sportmobile stolen out of his driveway last spring. I wonder if someone is targeting them? So far, I have installed deadbolt latches on the rear and side doors due to the easily defeated lock mechanism. I use a club on the steering wheel (probably worthless, but a visual deterrent) A Ravelco lock may be coming up, but meanwhile, a hidden fuel pump cut out switch and alarm system is next. Who has other ideas?............

[86Scotty]

Originally Posted by arctictraveller

That's awful, I worry all the time about mine. It sounds like there is a bit of a problem in the Bay Area, I remember a guy in Berkeley had his Sportmobile stolen out of his driveway last spring. I wonder if someone is targeting them? So far, I have installed deadbolt latches on the rear and side doors due to the easily defeated lock mechanism. I use a club on the steering wheel (probably worthless, but a visual deterrent) A Ravelco lock may be coming up, but meanwhile, a hidden fuel pump cut out switch and alarm system is next. Who has other ideas?............

My alarm is a name brand, nothing fancy, but does send a signal to the remote (key fob) if the alarm goes off. It does work, as it beeps inside my house on the spare remote when I use the other in the driveway coming and going. It's on AM frequency, I think, and doesn't work well very far from the van, but from driveway to your bedroom it might help if it's close.

[ipvirus]

This generator wouldn't have come from this van, would it?

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/rvs/4755044723.html