Stolen cameras

lindsay

lindsay

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Lindsay
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Travelling home last evening, I stopped at a services (Chievely (A34/M40 intersection) for 10 minutes to buy a sandwich and drink. When I got home I found that my work laptop, my old MacBook pro (17in), shoulder bag containing wallet with all cards and driving licence and passport, and a camera bag containing 2 Pentax LX's and a Contaflex IV had all been taken from the locked car (boot). Obviously major hassle has ensued in terms of cards and id, police report etc, but I'm most gutted about the loss of the cameras. Obviously they can be replaced eventually but what's sad is that most likely the toe rags who did this will, when they discover they are film cameras, ditch them. Likewise the MBP that was about 8 years old and looked it, but was so useful and worked well for me.

I believe this was enabled by these dark-web devices that clone the keyless entry fob radio signal when the car is locked, thus they would have unlocked the car when I disappeared, dived into the boot and went away all within a few minutes. So the moral of the tale is never to leave valuables in a car that has keyless entry, even for 5 minutes. Expensive lesson.
 
What sort of car just out of interest?

It's a worry of mine whenever I travel long distance and have to stop on the Motorway (which I try to avoid whenever possible but it's not always practical).

Gutted to hear this.
 
Might be worth going back and finding the darkest out of the way corner and having a look around in the bushes near bye. Thieves often dont take stuff far before ditching the stuff they dont want. It's less to be caught with. I'd have thought there would be CCTV there as well.
 
Put the fob or whatever it is in a metal tin at all times.
It is suspected that some of the ways to do this rely on the car owner being relatively close by with the fob thingy not shielded by a tin, just sitting in their pocket.
Putting it in a tin makes it invisible to any device the little :jaffa: may have because it acts like a shielding device.
Worth a try anyway.
 
Caerus said:
Put the fob or whatever it is in a metal tin at all times.
It is suspected that some of the ways to do this rely on the car owner being relatively close by with the fob thingy not shielded by a tin, just sitting in their pocket.
Putting it in a tin makes it invisible to any device the little :jaffa: may have because it acts like a shielding device.
Worth a try anyway.
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Who is carrying Metal Tins around with them ? Most new cars ping the key to wake it up if its near by so the key isn't transmitting all the time, personally if we are carrying gear and are parked anywhere iffy, then Valet Mode is switched on you cannot enter the boot or glove box without a code, stops you accessing sat nav as well.

And remember if there is any doubt about the car being locked or running when it was stolen ect, the the insurance companies are now VERY switched on, they can and do check when the car was locked and started etc from the key, in most cases where the car is stolen the insurance want both keys to check them.

If you are remotely bothered about your car getting stolen fit a ghost immobiliser.
 
Studio488commercial said:
Who is carrying Metal Tins around with them ? Most new cars ping the key to wake it up if its near by so the key isn't transmitting all the time, personally if we are carrying gear and are parked anywhere iffy, then Valet Mode is switched on you cannot enter the boot or glove box without a code, stops you accessing sat nav as well.

And remember if there is any doubt about the car being locked or running when it was stolen ect, the the insurance companies are now VERY switched on, they can and do check when the car was locked and started etc from the key, in most cases where the car is stolen the insurance want both keys to check them.

If you are remotely bothered about your car getting stolen fit a ghost immobiliser.
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Most new cars ? And how much do they cost ? Valet mode, what cars are you talking about here a Merc or fancy BMW you seen
 
Mazda 6 tourer GT Sport Nav+, 19 reg

I live 1.5 hours away from where it occurred, the police weren't interested in following it up I suspect despite a cop car actually being parked 30 ft away when it occurred, the 2 coppers talking to someone they had obviously followed there. Brazen.
 
Very sorry to read this, understandable you are gutted. Chievely services used to have a bad reputation for theft at least locally. Did you get any sympathy and/or help from the staff?

None of our cars are keyless, I will probably keep it this way.

Hopefully you recover the cameras.
 
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Lindsay56 said:
Mazda 6 tourer GT Sport Nav+, 19 reg

I live 1.5 hours away from where it occurred, the police weren't interested in following it up I suspect despite a cop car actually being parked 30 ft away when it occurred, the 2 coppers talking to someone they had obviously followed there. Brazen.
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All the police will do is give you a crime reference number.
Was there any CCTV?
Hope you're able to get them replaced.
 
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Sorry to hear that, I wish the perpetrators some very bad luck. Might be worth keeping your eye on eBay and the website of any chain-store type pawn shops for the cameras, never underestimate the stupidity of some thieves.
 
Mr Badger said:
Sorry to hear that, I wish the perpetrators some very bad luck. Might be worth keeping your eye on eBay and the website of any chain-store type pawn shops for the cameras, never underestimate the stupidity of some thieves.
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Yeah, they probably won't realise they're film cameras.
 
Lindsay, just spotted in Which? "Mazda owners – contact customer services to get the keyless function deactivated for free"

I know this is too late for your recent incident but might help others.

Dave
 
Sorry to hear about your losses, upsetting :(
 
Dave Canon said:
Lindsay, just spotted in Which? "Mazda owners – contact customer services to get the keyless function deactivated for free"

I know this is too late for your recent incident but might help others.

Dave
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I'll contact my local dealers about that - it will make me more comfortable for sure. Thanks Dave

I got a crime number and the sympathy of the police staff member taking the report. Unfortunately I was home, 2 hours after the incident, before I discovered the stuff had been taken - just grateful they didn't take the car itself. No idea if there was cctv although I suspect there was, but I'm not going to do the police work myself, I've already been busy enough cancelling all cards, passport, and changing every password under the sun. I'm working away from home all week now, but with no cards for a week and no id, it's rather difficult. I've been able to book accommodation using my wife's card, and transferred cash to her account so I can get hold of a wad of cash to see me through the week, which has mucked up the company books a bit. Stuff can be potentially replaced but the mental stress and hassle is the worst part.

Thanks for the sympathy and helpful suggestions folks, much appreciated.
 
I'm very sorry to hear this.
Based on the experience of a neighbour, you may need to do more than just contact local "fencing" shops. My neighbour had some gold rings and chains stolen from him, he found it all on display in his local shop. Went in, told the manager who refused to take it off sale. By the time the police eventually arrived there, several of the items had gone, with no record that they had ever existed.

As for keyless cars, never had one and never will. Technology is supposed to improve things, not make them worse.
 
Don't buy a car that has keyless entry.
 
I Saw a Radio Bristol FB post, apparently the Cat Converters on Hybrid cars are being targeted... Takes moments to jack the car, get the Cat Converter and away!

I've always looked at it, I do what I can, such as not leaving valuables in the car nor anything on display like a coat on the back seat etc.

But I might do what a friend has done..

Put Biohazards signs on his van... Can do the same with a Car more so if it's pretty newish. Cus scroats are going to think twice before breaking in
 
Just to add to my pain (sorry for the indulgence): no possibility of claiming on insurance. MoreThan (home contents) reckon I'm only covered for one item (which wasn't in the car and stolen) because I didn't specify all the items that go away from home; I thought I was only specifying items over £1k in value when I took out the insurance, but it seems I misunderstood the application form. That's convenient for them. It's the second time I've tried to claim from them and discovered that I should have ticked a box/specified something but haven't. So I cannot recommend MoreThan at all, unless you are really careful about what you are signing up for. My car insurance only provides £300 cover with an excess of £200 so not worth claiming.:mad:
 
Household Contents insurance maybe? might cover.

I used Morethan years ago for my insurance, my oldest daughter at the time, was learning to drive. They said, when she passed her test they would be able to give a very good deal on car insurance on her own car.... Their idea of a good deal, certainly wasn't mine nor other insurance companies idea of competitive... I think they wanted to charge 3 times as much as the cheapest quote
 
It was the MoreThan house contents that I apparently have no claim against due to not having ticked the right box or something.
I've just taken out a new portable equipment policy with Hiscox for future risk.
 
Dave Canon said:
Lindsay, just spotted in Which? "Mazda owners – contact customer services to get the keyless function deactivated for free"

I know this is too late for your recent incident but might help others.

Dave
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I always found Mazda very helpfull. When one of my locking wheel nuts decided to strip so it couldn't be removed at a tyre fitter, they removed it for free and replaced the other three with normal nuts free for me when I asked. Same with any issues, they always sorted it. Sadly i switched to Ford. My mistake. I'll buy another Mazda next time I change cars (fairly soon).
 
Lindsay56 said:
MoreThan (home contents) reckon I'm only covered for one item (which wasn't in the car and stolen) because I didn't specify all the items that go away from home; I thought I was only specifying items over £1k in value when I took out the insurance, but it seems I misunderstood the application form
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That seems harsh and usual. Did you have the optional personal possessions cover?
 
@Brentor it appears not, although I cannot imagine why I would not have wanted it when I took out the policy - it can only have been unclear on the proposal form. It only asked for High Value items to be specified, not items value for lower value ones. Maybe it was my fault, but I'm sure I wouldn't have missed that, as an amateur photographer, laptop user and radio ham who goes mobile/portable sometimes. I'm now trying to get this corrected going forward!
 
I used to carry a load of gear around for events to which the general public had access, it wasn't always
ideal to carry everything around and I could park close to the entrance so it was easier to leave some in the car.
I used a hard case like THIS
I could lock both the case and a steel cable to the luggage anchors in the boot to prevent anyone easily taking
it out and running off with it
No longer used for events and having downsized the gear it's now just used for storage of what I have left to keep it handy
 
There are two types of "keyless" entry. With my car, I have a physical key fob which I press a button to unlock the car. Once in the car I can start without removing the key from my pocket. The latter is a short range signal. The other type the fob transmits all of the time and is those open to being intercepted and relayed from a distance. This is the type you need to keep in a metal box. A friend has this second type with his Lexus but tells me that he can switch this off with a button press on the fob which he does at night. It is also worth thinking about what you would do if the battery in the fob failed. They usually give some warning but if ignored too long, you may fail to unlock your car. In my case there is a physical key inside the fob.

Dave
 
Dave Canon said:
There are two types of "keyless" entry. With my car, I have a physical key fob which I press a button to unlock the car. Once in the car I can start without removing the key from my pocket. The latter is a short range signal. The other type the fob transmits all of the time and is those open to being intercepted and relayed from a distance. This is the type you need to keep in a metal box. A friend has this second type with his Lexus but tells me that he can switch this off with a button press on the fob which he does at night. It is also worth thinking about what you would do if the battery in the fob failed. They usually give some warning but if ignored too long, you may fail to unlock your car. In my case there is a physical key inside the fob.

Dave
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There is a third type on cars where the car transmits a wake up signal to wake up the fob if it is in range usually a meter or two, the key isn't transmitting anything until it gets this signal.

On the older tech, I do find it strange with these discussions how people think the key has the ability to transmit over a huge range, (not the button press, we are talking totally key-less, ie grab the handle and it unlocks) they don't its very short range. To grab a keys code you need to be within a meter or two of the key, so do not leave your key next to the front door or window, as long as they are a few meters away from the outside then you are fine, if you are out and about parking, just be wary of cars next to you and people around you.

As a side note the "newer" tech is now being hacked, the criminals are leaving devices at peoples front doors, behind gas meters, plant pots, etc, they are working on the assumption that most keys are still "awake" when you cross in to the house, so keep your front door clear for clutter.
 
I've never understood the supposed advantage of a 'keyless' system. For a start, the fobs I've seen don't seem to be any smaller than the traditional combined key/button fob, and how much hardship is it to press a button when next to your car to unlock it, then put a key in the ignition, instead of loading a fob into a slot, then press a starter button, etc?

I tried the 'keyless' ignition once when I was lent a Mini as a courtesy car and found it to be annoying. I'd much rather have a traditional combined key/button fob type system. Car thefts (other than from physical entry into a premises to steal the keys) had pretty much died out in the latter days of the old fashioned key and fob. Perhaps car designers should concentrate a bit less on playing 'space ships', and if it ain't broke then don't fix it?
 
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Mr Badger said:
I've never understood the supposed advantage of a 'keyless' system. For a start, the fobs I've seen don't seem to be any smaller than the traditional combined key/button fob, and how much hardship is it to press a button when next to your car to unlock it, then put a key in the ignition, instead of loading a fob into a slot, then press a starter button, etc?

I tried the 'keyless' ignition once when I was lent a Mini as a courtesy car and found it to be annoying. I'd much rather have a traditional combined key/button fob type system. Car thefts (other than from physical entry into a premises to steal the keys) had pretty much died out in the latter days of the old fashioned key and fob. Perhaps car designers should concentrate a bit less on playing 'space ships', and if it ain't broke then don't fix it?
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Oh there is advantages to having the keyless system...

I don't have to rummage through handbags, camera bags, pockets etc looking for keys, very handy when it's raining and you making a dash for the car... Nor do I have to put items I have on the ground to look for keys...

And it's impossible for me to lock my keys in the car, it will refuse to lock and beep at you...

But having the trusted physical key and central locking isn't going to safe to your bacon.. As a friend found out, what they did, was one diverted her attention has she locked her car, another persons was crouched down on the other side of the car, hold the door handle in the open position, so when she locked her car using the central locking system, it didn't locked the passenger side door...

So in truth, if your car going to be broken into or nicked, then sadly it will happen what ever locking system, key, keyless or not you have.
 
Ellie Jones said:
But having the trusted physical key and central locking isn't going to safe to your bacon.. As a friend found out, what they did, was one diverted her attention has she locked her car, another persons was crouched down on the other side of the car, hold the door handle in the open position, so when she locked her car using the central locking system, it didn't locked the passenger side door...
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Mine won't lock unless all the doors are shut
It also has a double push unlock all doors so I can only have it open just the driver's door and if that is the only door unlocked at the start of the journey it is also the only door that unlocks when you take the key out of the ignition
Yes I do have it set to auto lock when I'm driving, had an attempt to open the rear door when stopped in traffic once
so happy to keep it that way
 
Gremlin said:
Mine won't lock unless all the doors are shut
It also has a double push unlock all doors so I can only have it open just the driver's door and if that is the only door unlocked at the start of the journey it is also the only door that unlocks when you take the key out of the ignition
Yes I do have it set to auto lock when I'm driving, had an attempt to open the rear door when stopped in traffic once
so happy to keep it that way
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I have the same settings and features on my car, and it sounds the horn if one of the doors isn't shut properly when it locks (which can be a bit embarrassing when arriving home in the early hours and waking the neighbours up if I've not shut one of the doors properly!)... the only downside to the 'lock on drive-off' system is when working in rural areas and my passenger gets out to open a gate, the doors lock when driving through the gateway and I have to remember to unlock the passenger door to let the passenger back in!
 
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This isn't going to help in the slightest, but I always take my gear with me when leaving the car at the services no matter how little time i'm going to be spending in them. If i'm traveling i'll make sure my gear fits in 1 or at most 2 bags and just lug them in. I've never trusted service station car parks in my life. Through my work the amount of kit that gets pinched from peoples cars whilst at the places is mind blowing.
 
Mr Badger said:
I've never understood the supposed advantage of a 'keyless' system. For a start, the fobs I've seen don't seem to be any smaller than the traditional combined key/button fob, and how much hardship is it to press a button when next to your car to unlock it, then put a key in the ignition, instead of loading a fob into a slot, then press a starter button, etc?

I tried the 'keyless' ignition once when I was lent a Mini as a courtesy car and found it to be annoying. I'd much rather have a traditional combined key/button fob type system. Car thefts (other than from physical entry into a premises to steal the keys) had pretty much died out in the latter days of the old fashioned key and fob. Perhaps car designers should concentrate a bit less on playing 'space ships', and if it ain't broke then don't fix it?
Click to expand...

Do fobs still go into slots ? mine never leaves my pocket, I even use my foot under the rear arches to open and close the tailgate.

Mine also has a very cool, feature , the activity key, it is a waterproof band like a Fitbit, you leave your keys in the car and lock it by placing the band near a sensor located in the tailgate, then off you go safe in the knowledge that you cannot lose or get your key wet, brilliant idea and works a treat.
 
Studio488commercial said:
Do fobs still go into slots ? mine never leaves my pocket, I even use my foot under the rear arches to open and close the tailgate.

Mine also has a very cool, feature , the activity key, it is a waterproof band like a Fitbit, you leave your keys in the car and lock it by placing the band near a sensor located in the tailgate, then off you go safe in the knowledge that you cannot lose or get your key wet, brilliant idea and works a treat.
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Can you tell me where do you live please?
 
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