I did a forum search before on 'anti theft devices' and most returns were from the archive, so I'm looking for some more up-to-date information.
Whats the best visible anti theft deterent around at the moment ?
Our works car park is now full on a regular basis. We used to park occasionally on the 14 space car park across the road, which is for some flats belonging to a charitable trust. No resident of the flats owns a car, and in the 7 years i've worked across the road there has never been more than one resident with a car at once. Now badly written notes threatening clamping are appearing on windscreens, and the nearest legal on-street parking has only recently been the subject of a highly publicised wave of car break-ins, so I want something that will say 'go away - the next cars easier to break into'
any suggestions ?
Bora - what Bora ?
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I believe that Disklok's get a good write up, they're the round metal device that completely encases the steering wheel.
They used to be just bright yellow but I've seen a more subtle sliver coloured example recently.
They have quite a good attack resistance, there's a video on their website worth a look;
www.disklok.com/products.html
Halfords do them for £79.99 so I'd think you can get them quite a bit cheaper elsewhere.
Regards,
Pete.
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Yep, the Disklok is v.good, but as it can be cumbersome to fit, it generally ends up in the boot and forgotten about.
Believe it or not, a simple flashing LED is as good a deterent to most oportunists.
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DD - the skoda (there.. I've said it) has an LED in the door by the 'knob' and on the radio, but neither are particularly visible in daylight, but I have a sneaking suspicion big flashing LEDs just give the signal 'cheapskate - big flashing LED but no alarm'
I used to have an autolok (gearstick/handbrake), which at least can be conveniently put in the passenger footwell without too much inconvenience
I suspect if I had a disklok, it would spend most of its time in the back of the car
Bora - what Bora ?
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I used to have an autolok (gearstick/handbrake), which at least can be conveniently put in the passenger footwell without too much inconvenience
Borasport,
I also used to have an autolok (gearstick to handbrake) and a stoplok (steering wheel), the autolok took about 2 sec to remove during an attempted theft, never saw the stoplok again after car was successfully stolen 12 months later. Both were a waste of time and money.
Ian L.
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Our works car park is now full on a regular basis. We used to park occasionally on the 14 space car park across the road, which is for some flats belonging to a charitable trust. No resident of the flats owns a car, and in the 7 years i\'ve worked across the road there has never been more than one resident with a car at once. Now badly written notes threatening clamping are appearing on windscreens,
I would suggest that theft may not be your biggest risk here, but more likely vandalism by those whose parking spaces have been taken if you remain in the flat\'s parking spaces. They won\'t be able to clamp (assuming there is no appropriate signage and the notes are from the flat residents). Dog in a Manger, and all that.
I would agree with the flashing LED option. Cheap and cheerful, and it does the trick of putting off the walk-by opportunist.
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I would suggest that theft may not be your biggest risk here, but more likely vandalism by those whose parking spaces have been taken if you remain in the flat\'s parking spaces.
ah, there's the rub. The flats are subsidised/charitable housing and i suspect the majority of the residents are not in work, certainly not the ones who spent most of the summer afternoons on the lawn surrounded by beer cans, nor the ones whose doors show signs of being entered by policemen without the aid of keys (not a common event... just once every other month or so)
so here we sit - to get some cars out of out car park will be like one of those puzzles where you juggle tiles round in a frame to make a picture, yet there's a 14 space car park 3 yards away that we daren't use for fear of damage
And 50 yards down the road there's a failing carpet warehouse which has a fifty space car park that has about five cars and about thirty 'customers only or you will be clamped' notices, and beyond that there's an even bigger MFI car park that's 95% empty every weekday !
Bora - what Bora ?
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one of the magazines (what car possibly) did a trail of the devices a few months back. While the disklock came out on top because it was cheap to fit and held out well to an attach, an even better device was a lock that somehow worked on the gearbox. its was expensive (200+) and required specialist fitting. but the tester couldn't break it. it also had the advantage of only requiring a key turn as it was built into the car so-to-speak (you dont have to fit it like a disclock).
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Having your car stolen is the best way to ensure that the Disclok never again stays in the boot! I lost a car about 4 years ago, having got back from somewhere late, and not being bothered to put it on. Come the morning, as your tag says, Bora? What Bora? (though it was an elderly Fiat Uno in my case.) Now I always fit it. Mine is the Halfords version which covers 75% of the wheel, and has an arm sticking out of the bottom to catch against legs if the wheel is turned. This is quicker to fit than the full cover disclok, and just as secure.
O
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The problem with all types of anti-theft devices is you never know if they've worked or not. How can you tell if an alarm box on your house or flashing LED/disklok etc. on your car, has deterred someone from having a go ?? The only thing you can be sure of, is that if you have a visible device fitted, and someone still has a go, then it certainly hasn't deterred them! Another element of all this which gives me a wry smile is the oft-used phrase "crime prevention" ! Which seems to imply a burglar/car thief is about to rob your home/car, sees a flashing alarm light and decides to go home and have a cup of tea instead. I think they actually mean "crime displacement".
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I think that your biggest danger comes from thieves looking for property within the car to nick, rather than to nick the car itself. I would say that if your car was to be stolen the chances are that the keys will have been removed from your possession first thus enabling the car to be stolen with relative ease. Cars these days tend be be a lot harder to steal as manufacturers are much more aware of theft, and as such most new cars come with alarms and immobilisers as standard. Did you see that piece on Top Gear the other week that revealed that the Vauxhall Nova was currently the car most likely to be stolen, hence my point above.
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Well the car 14 space car park across the road has not had more than 3 cars in it at anytime during the past two weeks, and so far today has had no cars in it.
This is a touch galling, particularly to our receptionist who was last to arrive today, had to park on the street, and by lunchtime, her car had gone, and is unlikely to be seen again.
rant
When I was young (!) I was all in favour of helping those who needed it. Now I see somebody who works hard for not much money, who's spend lunchtime in tears having just lost their most valuable possesion, whilst there is a relatively safe car park across the road which we can't use because the 'recovering alcoholics and drug victims' have complained about being disturbed by the sound of car doors at nine in the morning - it's almost enough to make me vote tory
/rant
Bora - what Bora ?
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Bora
Has anyone thought of talking to one or more of these inmates, er sorry, residents, to see if some financial arrangement could be entered into to ensure safe use of "their" parking spaces? Sort of sub-letting them to you?
Terry
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in the past, we used to do that, but they are not interested any more. Indeed, the most 'anti' is not one of the residents, but the charities housing officer, who needs somewhere to park when she drives there from the town centre office half a mile away.
Bora - what Bora ?
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