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CUTTING-edge crooks with $30 devices sold online are making short work of the modern standard in car security, helping drive a "diabolical" spike in vehicle heists in Queensland.

Thieves are using hand-held computers to thwart immobilisers in cars previously considered "unstealable", as vehicle theft numbers leapt more than a quarter in the year to March.

Full article here

Considering crooks can allegedly buy this item for $30 is a tad worrying. I guess this makes it even more important to follow the common sense rules to keep your car safe...

Chris Rogers care to comment?

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https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/407262-spike-in-car-theft/
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That device is only able to scan newer cars with push button start or keyless entry ( the kind where your keys stay in your pocket ) its scanning for rfid transmissions , rfid is used in just about every store as security on anything of value and sets off the beeping when you leave that is rfid but the transmitter scanner is at the door out and the chip is the antenna sticker on the label

. You can only use this device on cars with high output rfid transmitters like factory uses

And odb2 and newer cars that use databus type

The Factory factors in idiots who want the car to unlock from a km away without touching buttons or remote start it from outer space ??

you can get close proximity transmitters that require a few mm to pick up the signal ( like a door swiper card in office)

Skylines dont use that tech on r34 or older unless its aftermarket

doesnt matter anyway a tow truck can get any car just as easy , the key is being able to track it or prevent the theft in the first place with common sense and mutiple layers of security !!

Ever car should use a club lock even a cheap one slows down joy riders , taking a club lock off with a screaming car alarm that is sending gps tracking data to owner or police while strobes are flashing inside the car blinding the crim with blue dots and under the low car out of reach and screamer pain generating siren is blazing the crims ears out hidden inside the car and so many more tricks to stop theft , like double locked garage, alarmed , big dog , bollard pole in garage ? The list is huge but at some point it becomes as simple as moving to a better area if crime is that bad you could be in danger too ??

Laws on car theft need to be severe ( laws are weak on mutiple repeat offender kids and crims in oz) they get away with too much

That would fix a lot of theft , bubba would make you his gf in prison for 20 years

Dont sweat that scanner if you buy a new car get added layer of aftermarket security over factory and club lock and common sense ??

Edited by Carbon 34

saw that. same idea as the RFID Credit cards. I like those. I have a reader and a PC just for that reason. (and for the record I cut ine up..)

common sense prevails here.

I wonder if insurance companies are as insistent/belligerent as they traditionally used to be before the advent of these OBDs (unlocking BMWs etc). It appears that blank keys are brought in for reprogramming > Start button works!

in my other car, I have a wolf 3d v4 ecu...you can set a 4 digit pin via the hand controller that shuts off the injectors and ignition in the ecu. And since the car no longer runs at all on a stock ecu, the only way you could steal it would be to tow it. Don't understand why this isn't a more common feature on aftermarket ecu's?

Thats to keep people from changing settings who shouldnt be driving the car like drunk mates not real security , hand controllers around here get stolen or defected

Anyway

I could override it in 30 seconds or less now that i know its in your car !!! Beware of the security details dumped on the net in a public forum people

Common sense 101 stops theft at level 1

Keep the thief guessing dont let them make a shopping list of tools to get your car

ummmm....you've still got to find the car first.....

so how do you override it? as it's not something that's wired in that you can bypass, it *is* the ecu. It stops the car from running, nothing to do with changing settings.

I wonder if insurance companies are as insistent/belligerent as they traditionally used to be before the advent of these OBDs (unlocking BMWs etc). It appears that blank keys are brought in for reprogramming > Start button works!

Terry insurance companies are idiots and tarnish all of the lambs with the same brush and goverment follows right along with them

rates just keep going up

change the laws problem on car theft and make it a Real crime with big prison time would help , joy riders would think twice and meth heads would get prison and be off the streets , serious crims would still get away but dont target 10 grand cars either top end models worth heaps and its on a ship hour later to be rebirthed in another country

I would be more worried about garage door scanners and home invasion for your keys

Its happened here a fair bit lately

insurance is a must for skylines so many get nicked uninsured or left on dark streets at night in the hood , you wouldnt leave your wallet on that corner with no money in it an expect to find in in the am so why leave your car your prize on unprotected , its the second most expensive item most people purchase !!! cars , number 1 house

Even dogs can be defeated with ease in seconds and not lethal , so dont put that as your saving grace , they are a good measure in general to pre alert you at least

I would be more worried about garage door scanners and home invasion for your keys

Its happened here a fair bit lately

Yup - major concern.

Extra locking mechanisms on garage doors + security on all weakest points of one's house are advised.

  • 2 weeks later...

im looking at getting pole ballards in my drive way soon, good option i think.

Ive heard of people taking a plug or a coil pack ( something along thoes lines) from the engine bay when having it parked outside on the streets.

I think thats a good idea if the palce is a little dodgy.

But like i say to my mother who turns around 20min into a trip fretting the back door is open.

If someone wants to get in- THEY WILL GET IN

your security is only as stong as your weakest link.

weve got trelli doors and security doors- But what good are they when theres a thin glass window 1 meter next to the door?

I think a good one easy one is parking a second vehicle behind your car (assuming it's not as valuable). It's hard to draw that line between effective security without having to go to heaps of effort every time you want to drive your car. Hard for me as my car is a daily

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