Thieves In Nice Neighborhoods:

I'm 8 years older than you. I lived in South Pas around 1981 -1987

I moved out here in 1997 and my soon-to-be wife (we got married later that year) was in a tiny apartment in Alhambra, so we got the South Pas place when I first got here. We lived there I think 3 years, then moved to Pasadena and stayed there until 2006, when we moved to Redondo Beach. I've been in the South Bay ever since, and looks like January now we are moving down to San Diego.
 
I created this layover image showing the suspect vehicle leaving our house (after being unsuccessful at stealing YeloTruck) and what the car looks like up close. I passed this out (electronically) to neighbors, and come to find out, people who work graveyard shift report seeing it frequently, even driving around without lights...

Suspect Vehicle Yellow Mustang.png
 
Notice the Mustang is stopped here while checking out another F250....

Suspect Vehicle Yellow Mustang F250.png

2 months ago, someone tried to steal the neighbor's white F250 4 Door (3 houses down from us) and broke in exactly the same way - by punching the door locks. They were driving a yellow Mustang too.

Hmmmm.....
 
most post 1999 have the chip, few work vehicles dont but post 2004 almost all went double layer incription. The BMW. Mercedees..they have the key programmed will a rolling pin code & come from the factory that way. Want your Mercedees key to drive quick? $800 overnight from Germany..we know , ordered one once for a customer in 2013.prob 1k now.

Prob in that system..the pin code rolls each time you put the key in the door & sequences up with the ECU. So we don't have the ability to mate the chip in key to the ECU.

Also, if you hack an aftermarket alarm system into a vehicle..the installation places ..they don't care & if it goes on wrong wire it will send fault codes to ECU..the system must come out if you lose cause the programming will not go through with antoher device wired up..Vehicle in programming mode sees a non factory signal path & will not close the programming out.

BTW, anybody can steal a modern GM product..but that a dif story..
 
most post 1999 have the chip, few work vehicles dont but post 2004 almost all went double layer incription. The BMW. Mercedees..they have the key programmed will a rolling pin code & come from the factory that way. Want your Mercedees key to drive quick? $800 overnight from Germany..we know , ordered one once for a customer in 2013.prob 1k now.

Prob in that system..the pin code rolls each time you put the key in the door & sequences up with the ECU. So we don't have the ability to mate the chip in key to the ECU.

Also, if you hack an aftermarket alarm system into a vehicle..the installation places ..they don't care & if it goes on wrong wire it will send fault codes to ECU..the system must come out if you lose cause the programming will not go through with antoher device wired up..Vehicle in programming mode sees a non factory signal path & will not close the programming out.

BTW, anybody can steal a modern GM product..but that a dif story..

Yep, the wife lost her key to the MB Sprinter a few years ago. $200 for the dealer to reprogram, so I bought 2 keys since the $200 was for 1 or 10 keys. $500 later I now have 3 keys. :(
 
Yep, the wife lost her key to the MB Sprinter a few years ago. $200 for the dealer to reprogram, so I bought 2 keys since the $200 was for 1 or 10 keys. $500 later I now have 3 keys. :(
Luckily ..that Sprinter is on a Chrysler programming system..Diamler & Chrysler got together on those.. i tell everybody..get a 2nd key & never let that used car thief dealer talk you into leaving with 1 key..all cars come with 2 keys & should being sold used also..but the dealers are so cheap..we will never do dealer work ever again,,dont care what the pay..lol
 
Had to erase much of my post to avoid politics but it had to do with how some DA are picking and choosing which, or against whom certain offenses would be prosecuted or not.

There is a strong movement in some areas where property crimes are considered less and less of a "crime".
I work hard and long for a working-class paycheck.
Doesn't seem right it should be considered "ok" for someone to take it from me, and "not ok" for me to try to stop it by force if necessary.
 
It's pretty cool. keep our customer data base..and some have lost there keys many times...lol..just took a call..person lost keys to 2005 Ford escape...$175 & 20 minute ETA..she will be on the road in 30 minutes !! That's our gig man... average here is $200-225 for that & $ 1 -3 hr eta

back to story..i keep the info & if they lose the key..we simply cut one on way & program it..$65,,

9 ,yes 9 times for this one customer.. him & his boyfriend get hammered & fight & throw the keys..down the elevator...in the sewer..in the River & and 1 is on a roof in Harrisburg somewhere,,
 
Had to erase much of my post to avoid politics but it had to do with how some DA are picking and choosing which, or against whom certain offenses would be prosecuted or not.

There is a strong movement in some areas where property crimes are considered less and less of a "crime".
I work hard and long for a working-class paycheck.
Doesn't seem right it should be considered "ok" for someone to take it from me, and "not ok" for me to try to stop it by force if necessary.
We repo ..we know...no Repo's for 3 months last summer& they are invoking it again.. my repo guys we work with got hit hard this summer but i keep em busy with car keys since came off the road...

hey ever see 2 wreckers hook onto to both ends of the uni body car? the 2 sub frames....and pull it apart?

crazy..us locksmith & repo guys..we are like in a war already just to make a living..sometimes have to check down on how aggressive we have gotten over the years..but its survival man..the stories,,geez...every single one us i know have been held at gunpoint..stabbed ..jumped
 
F250 Super Duty's have no chip. No form of electronic security whatsoever.
yes some bigger trucks...mostly commerical fleet vehicles..sometimes we make a metal key on those before we cut the transpnder. But they are optional, we never know until we turn the ignition, mostly Ford 250 on up & Chevy up until 2004 was optional. The wildest is when they switch chips mid year ..which they due when they get next generation chip. Subaru is the worst,,Toyota chips in some,,can be be either or ,,so its a 50/50 when ya chop a key up
 
Last edited:
yes some bigger trucks...mostly commerical fleet vehicles..sometimes we make a metal key on those before we cut the transpnder. But they are optional, we never know until we turn the ignition, mostly Ford & Chevy up until 2004

Yep. Now, I am pulling the main PCM relay out at night...zero power to the electronics. They will have to steal it with a tow truck if they want it badly enough....
 
I miss the days I could go to any hardware store or Home Depot to get a spare key made for a buck-sixty.
No dig at you @BFT Gibson: you sound like a fair minded businessman.
I was friendly with the full time locksmith in a hospital complex when I serviced the fire and security alarms there for over 10 years.
Learned a lot about keys, levels of masters, etc., as he entrusted me with my own set that got me most places.
I still look at the cuts in my keys to know what goes where.

I can still get $2.00 keys made my 2001 Cherokee, though I never lose them.
It only came with one key and remote (used), but the key is not chipped.
The wife has that one, for the convenience and the panic alarm.

And I dont chip the paint around the door lock in the dark.

My key is a plain old unlock the door, turn it in the ignition type deal.
Fine by me.

The 2016 Rogue we have is nice you can pop the rear deck with the remote.
 
Last edited:
Sad, I just had to go buy another $300 extension ladder because you know.....I didn't put it in the shed, just laid it up against my fence for the evening so I didn't have to get it out in the morning to finish the new porch roof. :mad:

Been there done that, I had 2 36 footers, and a 32, plus a 24 foot walk board and aluminum brake all stolen.
Plus the other 2 break ins to my house, in other years.
 
Back
Top