ARGH!! Car broken into...

A

ajchang

Contributing Member
Joined
15 April 2002
Messages
198
Location
Houston, TX, USA
SAD day... I haven't had the car for two months, and the car is broken into. Smashed through the passenger window (ripped up trim and paint's all messed up) and took off with my V1 and Oakleys.

I thought a pricey high-end pager-enabled car alarm system would be excessive, but no more. What's top-of-the-line and where can I get it installed in Houston (willing to even go to Austin).

Can't believe what they did to my baby...

X currently safely stowed at Autologic until insurance calls back. What a crappy day...
 
Sorry to hear about it.:frown:

Unfortunately though the alarm (probably) wouldn't have helped you here anyway; not on a "smash and grab" like this.


Dirtbags !!! :mad:
 
I was looking at the top of the line Viper Alarm. 2-way paging, shock zones, etc, etc, Works from like 1/2 a mile away or more.

However, it still probably would not have stopped a quick job like that. But you would have known immediately.
 
man, that totally suks...I had my share of "broken-into" too...I don't know how I would react though, if it was my NSX... :mad:
 
Sorry to hear that - easy to say in retrospect but the V1 was probably what "invited" the opportunity; regardless of alarm, it's always good practice to put that stuff away when parked.
 
Dood, by time you could respond to the alarm: they were long gone.

You would have to be in VERY close proximity to do anything about it, even if you were equipped and had them under active surveillance. The whole operation takes about 30-45 seconds and they are GONE.

They will use a spring loaded center punch and just press it against the window. The glass will silently shatter and disappear within a second and they'll spend another 15-30 seconds going through your car and they make a run for it. Alternately, they can use spark plug ceramic chips...just throw/toss the little chips at the window and about 1:3 will hit just right and shatter the window.

Consider using a clear/tinted glazing that holds the window together and deprives the thief of a valuable time. They'll need gloves (rare) or something to pound down the glass and it will cut them (safety glass still cuts badly). Nope, if they run into something like that: they'll just call it a night. Makes less of a mess too (you're gonna have to pull the seats so you can get all the glass out now).

Something like this: http://www.tintgraphic.com/main/faq.htm

So unless you can run to the car and be ready to go in <30 seconds: your pager system is useless. Even if you are lucky enough to catch them, you won't know what you have until they are long gone....and big woes to you if you detain them and you can't tie them to the crime. Sounds good, but doesn't work in real life.

Bummer, regardless

Drew
 
Yeah, I think that's the thing that gets me the most--there's really no deterrent to keep this from happening. Even if I catch them in the act, what do I do now? Then it becomes a safety issue, which is even more problematic.

I guess all I can do is watch where I park, stow EVERYTHING out of sight and just hope to goodness that this happens again.

Can't help but feel utterly helpless...
 
Sorry to hear about the car. An alarm could have possibly deterred the thief. In this case, even with an alarm the thief could have still gotten away. One thing people forget about with alarms is the deterrent factor that they have. Hell, who knows how many times that little blinking LED has warded off potential thieves. Sometimes though, if you do too much to protect your car, it can end up working against you.

ie. On my Civic, I disabled the door lock switches. They tried both doors scratching the door where they pried the window open to get to the switch. Then they tried going through the keyhole destroying the keyhole and then finally underneath the keyhole destroying the door handle and denting the doorpanel. But in the end, they gave up! A friend of mine once had his dash torn apart because he had his radio securely mounted.

There is this cool alarm that is supposed to have a camera that will snag a picture of the thief and send it to your remote. The camera unit hasn't been released and I'm sure there will still be some things to work out like how many pictures it will snap, will the picture capture the thief, and will it be able to send you the picture? These alarms are made by Scytek.
 
AJ,

Sorry to hear about that. Where did this happen? I drive my NSX everywhere and, knock on wood, I've yet to have this kind of thing happen. I don't have a radar, but sometimes I forget and leave my in dash screen out in plain view.

Regards,
- Z
 
If you get the 2 way alarm get a radar/proximeter sensor. If someone gets close enough to the car (depending on how you adjust sensitivity) it will send your LCD alarm remote a pre-warn signal and chirp. It will protect you 100% but its another step in protecting what you can.
 
NSX FoYoAss said:
AJ,

Sorry to hear about that. Where did this happen? I drive my NSX everywhere and, knock on wood, I've yet to have this kind of thing happen. I don't have a radar, but sometimes I forget and leave my in dash screen out in plain view.

Regards,
- Z
Click to expand...

Sorry to here this. I hope you find out who did it..the dirty rascals <a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008_ZSYYYYYYYYUS' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/15/15_4_125.gif' alt='Chainsaw' border=0></a>

Like Z mentioned previously, where did this happen at?
 
hate when that happens. My M3 was stolen out of my driveway :mad:
 
D'Ecosse said:
Sorry to hear that - easy to say in retrospect but the V1 was probably what "invited" the opportunity; regardless of alarm, it's always good practice to put that stuff away when parked.
Click to expand...

Im sorry about your loss.
I guess Im out of the loop...

oakley = sunglasses, V1 = ???????

what is V1?
 
skinnydoc said:
Im sorry about your loss.
I guess Im out of the loop...

oakley = sunglasses, V1 = ???????

what is V1?
Click to expand...

Puleeze, You don't know V1= Valentine 1, as in radar detector, and you have a NSX, what state are you in? I think maybe unconscious!!! JK :biggrin: :eek:
 
Why can't we buy tougher glass that is more resistant to break-ins? Anything that makes it harder for the thieves is a good investment.


Very sorry to hear about the violation of your baby. :mad:
 
Sorry for your loss. :frown:

I guess skinnydoc isn't familiar with V1's because a) he hasn't owned his NSX long, or b) cops let you drive 80 mph without any hassles in Texas. :biggrin:

A link in case any of u haven't "INVESTED" in a V1. By far the best RD ever made!!!http://www.valentine1.com/
 
Ever since I had a vehicle broken into (not my NSX) and vandalized to the tune of $5000 I have been a HUGE proponent of remote paging systems integrated into aftermarket alarms. The cost of an add-on pager is usually less than $200 and a full featured alarm w/ built-in two way paging is usually less than $400. At the very least even if you do not catch the thieves/vandals at the very instant you will know when it happens. On a number of occasions my pager has gone off when the people parked on either side opened their car door into mine. I am generally able to get out to the car even before the people have driven/walked away to go over the damage.

Once you have the system installed place decals in very visible locations (side windows) stating "PAGING SYSTEM INSTALLED" or similar which may deter many thieves.

I personally use AutoPage products as they were one of the first to produce these paging security devices. However there are now plenty of choices on the market.

The only concern however is that the thieves/vandals could be armed so be prepared when approaching your car while the pager is going off.
 
The break-in occurred at the Camden Greenway apartments over at Richmond and Buffalo Speedway. I stayed over at my girlfriend's and parked the car on the roof (gated parking garage, where every third car is either a Benz or Bimmer, and where a Porsche 911 Turbo actually sits on the first floor). Maybe I was a bit naive, but I thought, all these other high end cars, I should be fine in the garage (as if there was an alternative--better than leaving it out on the street....)

Looks like it's gonna be a $1,200 out-of-pocket for me: $500 deductible, $400 for the V1 and $300 for the sunglasses. OUCH. Really didn't need this since I'm closing on a house in the next month (and haven't sold my old car yet...).

Anyway, thank you all for your kind words. Just feel so incredibly violated...
 
drew said:
Consider using a clear/tinted glazing that holds the window together and deprives the thief of a valuable time.
Bummer, regardless

Drew
Click to expand...
You know,when I had my CXR in Jamaica , Queens,NY, the tint I had on the car did hold the glass together. One day,afterI left the hospital, I found the passenger window was shattered but held together. I lost nothing in the car.
Maybe the tint did save my car.
 
ajchang said:
Maybe I was a bit naive, but I thought, all these other high end cars, I should be fine in the garage (as if there was an alternative--better than leaving it out on the street....)

Anyway, thank you all for your kind words. Just feel so incredibly violated...
Click to expand...

Maybe all those cars belong to drug dealers and car thieves.
Sorry about your baby. :frown:
 
The only concern however is that the thieves/vandals could be armed so be prepared when approaching your car while the pager is going off.
Click to expand...

Unlikely. Their mindset is to grab and run... The longer they stay in one place, the faster they will get caught. The thiefs understand that quite clearly....speed and distance is their firend. They also know that mere property crimes are not investigated or punished. (However, make it a "violent crime" and the risks change substantially.).

My experience dictates that if you got 'em running: engage.

(I'm more worried about what pathogens they have: burglers and thieves are a pretty nasty lot---small, slimy and disease ridden. Jail is too good for them, so I don't know what you win by catching them.)

**

As for the glazing---it is not standard tint, that is not as good as the stuff that is made to keep the window together. It is inexpensive, passive and it is quite effective.

Drew
 

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