Stolen cars

[The Express Valeter]

I am so gutted for you and your Acclaim. This seems to be happening a lot lately, first the VP Monty, then a load of Maestros, now this. What is going on?

This is definitely a message to everyone still lucky enough to have a Monty/Maestro sitting outside without any means of security (myself included).

Sad times. Lets just hope that this evil run of stolen cars comes to an end now.

And these are just the cars we know about via the club/forum etc!!

[Guest]

This is the third time i have posted this picture this week. If you haven't got the time or money to fit an immobiliser then you cannot beat these:

They cost £59 and when they were tested independently, an experienced locksmith with all his tools took 45 minutes to get it off the wheel.

A mate of mine is a mechanic and a tow truck landed in with him one day with a womans car with one of these fitted. She'd lost all the keys for it! It took them nearly half an hour with an anglegrinder to get it off! That's good enough for me so i bought one!


Really sucks about your car dude, newer stuff that much harder to steal so 80s and 90s are targeted more

[Dazzman]

Oli! What an absolute shame, such a nice car - all I can say is if one thing has been salvaged from this situation - the thank you for the wake up call - I am getting locks for my collection asap!

Damn shame indeed!

[Oli]

Cheers for all the kind comments everyone.

Unfortunately she has now been scrapped
I couldn't have possibly fixed that, i removed a select few sentimental things to remember her by (as shown in the photos) badges, rear numberplate as such like.

What an absolute waste of a near mint car (see attached picture/s) that i truly loved!

I couldn't salvage anything really, especially as i turned upto the yard in a '71 Mini (pictured)..

What's worse is, as she was off the road (but taxed and mot'd) she wasn't insured so i was liable for the police recovery charges (£105...!) - they tried to sting me for storage charges too, but i told them where to stick it.... it worked.

Matthew, that is a top suggestion - but sadly if the thieves are out for money they will simply do what they did to a good friend of mine:

Pick up, 1x Sierra, 1x Volvo 240 and 1x Peugeot 106 from his garage forecourt.. with a HI-AB! Presumably weighed in at about £100 a piece for scrap value?

Oli.

[Oli]

Forgot to say, sadly no sign of blood inside!!

****ers.

[G51 NAV]

It is a total TRAGEDY that people like Oli and others have cars they value and care-for stolen from them and smashed up, while people like GRAHAM CHILDS are able to buy a totally MINT one-owner, cherished museum-piece from eldery owners, and then systematically DESTROY IT and SCRAP its sorry remains without their wallet feeling the pinch or their conscience at all pricking them.

What is this world coming to? Precisely at which point did the human gene-chain become irrevocably disfigured to breed both of these types of people?

[Guest]

Terrible shame .. Some people have no res[ect for anyones property, the craze for stealing and wrecking cars seems to be on the increase. The morons who do it usually work away unscathed and inoccent people usually get killed by them due to reckless and idiotic driving.
The joyriders / thieves deserve nothing more than a violent death at the wheel of the car with something very hard and unforgiving, brickwall, tree etc. Its the only lesson that would stop most of them.

[Oli]

You are right Sean, though i am thinking a more slow and painful death?

The Chinese used to tie bodies down on top of bamboo and let the bamboo grow through them...! Could grow as fast as 3 inchs a day!

:laugh:

But in all seriousness, this sort of crime will not stop the ******s unless they realise they will face some REAL punishment in the event they are caught.

[D87SMW]

It is a total TRAGEDY that people like Oli and others have cars they value and care-for stolen from them and smashed up, while people like GRAHAM CHILDS are able to buy a totally MINT one-owner, cherished museum-piece from eldery owners, and then systematically DESTROY IT and SCRAP its sorry remains without their wallet feeling the pinch or their conscience at all pricking them.

Fully agree with that post. It's bad enough we have to put up with scum who think nothing of anyone else's property (not just Maestros) yet here is a so-called Maestro enthusiast, who once said he loved this car, breaking it up despite not advertising it and still getting offers.

[Oli]

It is a total TRAGEDY that people like Oli and others have cars they value and care-for stolen from them and smashed up, while people like GRAHAM CHILDS are able to buy a totally MINT one-owner, cherished museum-piece from eldery owners, and then systematically DESTROY IT and SCRAP its sorry remains without their wallet feeling the pinch or their conscience at all pricking them.

What is this world coming to? Precisely at which point did the human gene-chain become irrevocably disfigured to breed both of these types of people?

Wise words John.

[Guest]

You have my very sincere sympathies!

This sort of thing makes me wonder whether it is practical in this country to own one of our cars without secure parking.

At least my VDP is fairly secure in the car pound for the moment...

[Oli]

Thanks for the kind words, Robert.

[matthewsemple]

What is this world coming to? Precisely at which point did the human gene-chain become irrevocably disfigured to breed both of these types of people?

People have been stealing cars since they were invented. Before cars they stole bicycles and before then, horses. When 'thou shall not covet my neighbours' ass' was written they weren't talking about a pert behind but a mode of transport.

I predict that as long as some people have things that others don't, there will be theft. This is not new and no amount of wringing our hands and taking about the country going down the pan will change this.

Instead buy a disklok and put it on your car every time you park it. When you park on your drive, in a nice area, in the supermarket, on your parent's drive, when you stop to get a paper, heck even when you park your car in a garage. Buy the lock then don't decide where to put it on - why gamble? Put it on all the time.

Every one of these cars is worth more to their owners that the £59 it costs to buy one of these locks. Every one of the unfortunate people who have had their cars stolen have been inconvenienced to the tune of more than £59. Once you have the lock it is free to use and they last years. They don't rust and when you get a new car, you can take it with you.

I read the posts about the HI-AB - but this must be a minority of thefts. Most car thieves are opportunists with a carrier bag full of small tools that they use to open our cars. They are often using the cars as transportation whilst they commit other crimes so outright performance is not as important as discretion.

We must remember, our cars have minimal security, they are easy to drive and they range between quite quick and very quick. Car thieves know this and they look for the path of least resistance. When they stumble across 1980s Austins, Vauxhalls and Fords without any additional security, Bingo!

If your car is parked outside your house now with no physical deterant, for all our sakes and to prevent us having to see another picture like the one Oli posted, go and buy a really good device tomorrow.

Remember this list from 2005?

Most Stolen cars in the UK as a percentage of the number on the road:

1. Vauxhall Belmont
2. Vauxhall Astra Mk2
3. Ford Escort Mk3
4. Austin/Morris Metro
5. Vauxhall Nova
6. Ford Orion
7. Rover Metro
8. Austin/Morris Maestro
9. Austin/Morris Montego
10. Ford Fiesta Mks1, 2 and 3

What have they got in common?

1. They have poor security
2. They are all 1980s cars so offer fair performance.
3. Made by the big three manufacturers and the knowledge about how to break into them will have been passed on to younger criminals by older siblings and friends who stole them when they were new and plentiful
4. Their owners don't think they'll get stolen because "it's only an old car"
5. They are cheap to buy so people who don't have a garage often own them

Look at other forums on the internet and you'll find the same happening. Here is a quote from a Vauxhall forum after someone's Cavalier GSi Turbo was stolen:

Every Cavalier or Calibra Turbo should have multiple security systems. The alarm you have to have for insurance plus fuel pump switch and a Disklock on the steering wheel.

[Dave]

Well said Mr.Semple. I'll second that.

Disklok. Handbrake/GearStick lock... Your's only has to be less desirable than your neighbours...

Also fit a hidden fuel pump or ignition switch.

[steve smith]

i have a hand brake gear stick lock fitted to the d reg i also have teh alarm working and have a coil cut off switch