Theft Prevention...

[Coldsmoke]

How are we going to handle theft prevention, we all know that when they first hit the road and for at least the first year or two they'll be super unique vehicles, getting a lot of attention, most of it really good but regrettably some of it not so.

The Jeep owners have been facing this challenge since at least 1940, lol, they have some pretty good experience. It would be good to understand what they have found successful and then formulate a strategy, I’m sure you're out there please share, keep me from making the mistakes that would cost money and the Bronco.

I'll be running it commando for as many months of the year as I can. Can't spend all my days worrying about it being there when I get back.

• What additional Security will we need over and above what comes with the vehicle?
• What type of kill switch? Should I even install a kill switch? I had one in my CJ5 back in the 80s, but the car is a neanderthal compared to today's vehicles.
• Steering wheel and pedal locks are just not going to cut it against today's thieves.
• Installing an additional alarm feel so old school, haven't needed one, so I'm out of touch, what do you think?

With the Bronco having so much technology built in what do you have in mind?

Jason
2 Door, Black Diamond in Area 51, Timestamp: 7/13/2020 at 21:42

I'm not sure you need anything additional, especially if the Bronco has similar functionality to my 2020 Explorer. There is not much you can do without the FOB in hand. Everything that allows it to move is locked...steering, ignition, transmission, parking brake, etc. Even if you remote start it, everything remains locked, the only difference is the engine is running, only to stop immediately if you try something out of sequence and without the FOB. In addition, if it does happen to get stolen, the location is highlighted on a map in the FordPass app, so it could be easy to lead the police to the location.

The primary concern with the FOB is there are sophisticated criminals who have methods to hack the electronics and counterfeit the FOB codes, but these aren't your everyday car thieves and probably aren't out stealing a $50k or $60k vehicle.
Now, that's not to say they can't throw it on a flatbed or dolly and haul the whole thing off, but you need to accept that if an asshat criminal really wants to steal a vehicle, then they'll steal it regardless of all reasonable efforts to the contrary.

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[Pancho Kornwallace]

1. Manual Transmission
2. Hide a "Tile" in it. They are the little tracking devices to help you find your wallet or keys. But instead of attaching them to those things, hide one somewhere in your vehicle. Very inexpensive ($30 or less) and can be connected to an app.
3. FordPass also knows where your vehicle is. Make sure you set that up.
4. Insurance.

I remember as a kid, our Custom Cruiser Station Wagon got broken into in New York City.
Cassette tapes covers were strewn everywhere in the interior, but they did not take any. I guess they could not make money off my parents' mix tapes.

 

[PowPow]

1. Manual Transmission
2. Hide a "Tile" in it. They are the little tracking devices to help you find your wallet or keys. But instead of attaching them to those things, hide one somewhere in your vehicle. Very inexpensive ($30 or less) and can be connected to an app.
3. FordPass also knows where your vehicle is. Make sure you set that up.
4. Insurance.

I like where your head is at... but I'm fairly certain those Tile things are bluetooth enabled. So unless you're within like 30ft of it, it's useless.

Or I guess you could drive around sticking your phone out the window and hope you get a hit.

 

[Pancho Kornwallace]

I like where your head is at... but I'm fairly certain those Tile things are bluetooth enabled. So unless you're within like 30ft of it, it's useless.

Or I guess you could drive around sticking your phone out the window and hope you get a hit.

Somehow they use other tile devices (and phones nearby?) to triangulate locations. May not be perfectly accurate, but they can tell you if your keys are in someone else's house or if your wallet is at a grocery store, for example.

***********************
UPDATE: I looked it up. Here is a screenshot from the Tile website:

 

[Norm A.]

I'm thinking about putting a kill switch to the starter, hook it up to one of the auxiliary switches overhead

 

[JesseS]

Actually, I would be more worried about your catalytic converter being stolen than the entire vehicle, cat thefts are way up do to the price of the Palladium, a newer cat is worth $500 at a scrap yard and $2K to replace.

 

[Hoofnmouth]

Yup these are going to be like crack to crooks.

Simple and best is find elect fuel pump wires wire in a micro toggle some where hidden under dash. Once i hooked it up so if cig lighter was out no start.

 

[alyssakatherine]

my uncle lived in Elizabeth NJ (just outside NYC) and would tell me his car was stolen or broken into so many times that he too would just leave it unlocked, because it would cost more to fix the locks every time it was recovered!

Exactly! Even when I had a tonneau cover on my truck and left the tailgate unlocked, people broke the latches on the tonneau to see the empty bed

 

[Portapot]

cujo....LOL...he would probably encourage the thief not deter them. But he will be riding with me a lot.

 

[PowPow]

Somehow they use other tile devices (and phones nearby?) to triangulate locations. May not be perfectly accurate, but they can tell you if your keys are in someone else's house or if your wallet is at a grocery store, for example.

***********************
UPDATE: I looked it up. Here is a screenshot from the Tile website:

nice!

that would be amazing if the guy who stole the car had the tile app, and his phone was the one that located it.

 

[Toastedtostito]

Trunk monkey.

How many trunk monkeys do you think you can squeeze into a 2dr? There are a few editions I would like.

 

[deejaybee]

Manual transmission

Truth

 

[Beach_Bum]

My '20 Tremor has been broken into and almost stolen twice in 4 months. Ravelco kill switch saved it.

Many have mentioned their own home-baked kill switch ideas, but Ravelco is proven. It isn't that expensive and it works.

 

[Pancho Kornwallace]

One other tip from the "Dan Grek" (the overlander YouTube guy).
A snake on the dashboard (go to the 40 second mark, though the whole video is fun):




Go to the 2 minute mark for how he scared off intimidating armed guys at borders.

 

[J_Meh_Cray_D]

One other tip from the "Dan Grek" (the overlander YouTube guy).
A snake on the dashboard (go to the 40 second mark, though the whole video is fun):


Go to the 2 minute mark for how he scared off intimidating armed guys at borders.

I’ll remember that when I drive to Africa

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