Someone tried to steal my SMB last night.

[gcvt]

Originally Posted by Viva

Well that sucks. I'm glad they didn't get it, but still, having your property violated is gross. And (no offense, because I loved my 2WD SMB with stripes) you don't even have one of the "super cool" ones loaded with Aluminess and bristling with huge tires. I would have thought you were relatively safe.

I have a friend who lives in the Bay Area and he had TWO crappy/ugly old Saturns stolen (unfortunately the first one with stuff in it that he valued - not that it was valuable to thieves). Who steals crappy old Saturns?

Scary because I had my "classic striped" SMB parked at his place for a couple of weeks last year!

Anyway, I'm really sorry this happened to you.

Thanks. I thought I was relatively safe too. There's no shortage of really nice cars parked in my neighborhood and they chose my 18 year old van. It doesn't really 'blend in' either, nor would it be easy to hide. Oh well, criminals are stupid.

Then again, they stole my 17 year old truck last so Summer.

[mikracer]

Originally Posted by boywonder

No Kidding......is a fuel pump cut-off switch straightforward and a meaningful theft deterrent?

If you don't daily drive your van, there is the fuel cut off switch in the passenger side kick panel. I think its a red push button.

[1der]

Wow, that sucks. Really sorry to read about this.

We put Ravelco systems (kill switch type systems) in both our vans a couple of weeks ago. I would like to still find an alarm system as well.

Been lots of car breakins lately in the area, read about them on Nextdoor. Be careful.

Ray

[gcvt]

Originally Posted by 1der

Wow, that sucks. Really sorry to read about this.

We put Ravelco systems (kill switch type systems) in both our vans a couple of weeks ago. I would like to still find an alarm system as well.

Been lots of car breakins lately in the area, read about them on Nextdoor. Be careful.

Ray

Thanks Ray. I asked Robb about his Ravelco today. Damn pricey

Maybe a kill switch on the starter relay. Who knows? Working on ideas.

[Vegasrandall]

Magnetic reed switch that shorts the ignition unless the plastic statue of Jesus with the magnetic base is moved.

[arctictraveller]

BASTARDS!!!! I worry about this all the time so I installed a hidden fuel pump cut off, alarm system, and gate latch bolts on the inside rear doors. I also made sure my insurance will cover the full value of the van. It took a lot of research, but RPA turned me on to his agent who knew how to obtain the correct value and I passed that info on to my agent. When I leave the van for extended periods, I actually remove the wheels. It sucks that we have to be that paranoid, but I'm really glad they didn't get your van...............

[JackTuppVan]

Car Anti-Theft Device!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFqr3_frh3Q

[gcvt]

Hey Jeff. Yeah, I gotta get some kind of cutoff set up quick. Should be cheap and easy - just gotta figure out which way to do it. Fuel pump, starter relay, fuel cutoff thing in the passenger footwell, whatever. I'm insured with the same guy Robb is but I should call him and confirm that they would replace with a comparable unit, just to be sure. Alarms are useless here though. No one looks, no one cares, and I can't go out and shoot them in the face without going to jail and getting financially destroyed in a civil suit. CA Prop 47 isn't helping either.

BASTARDS!!!

Ordered a new ignition tonight. Should have it by Tue or Wed.

Hope you and the Mrs. are well

[gcvt]

Originally Posted by JackTuppVan

Car Anti-Theft Device!

Thanks for the laugh. I really needed that right about now.

[arctictraveller]

Originally Posted by gcvt

Alarms are useless here though. No one looks, no one cares,
:

Actually, an alarm might help, as most kill the starter circuit, making it impossible to get away while it's going off, and if they continue to try, it recycles and continues to kill the starter. In addition, most have a paging option that will let you know someone is messing with your ride. The motion detector on mine is pretty smart too. It give a pre-alarm if someone grabs the door handle, or somehow shakes the van, and a full alarm with any broken glass or jacked up door. Oddly though, big winds that rock the van don't set it off. I got mine installed for $199.00, cheap insurance.