Motoring Discussion > Lock up your car keys	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Iffy	Replies: 29

Sat 10 Mar 12 17:01   Lock up your car keys - Iffy

And look after them when you are out. Since returning to work, I've noticed a spike in the number of thefts of car keys, and then the car. Car keys nicked in a house burglary has been quite common for a while now. But I've seen a few cases where the keys have been stolen while the owner is out and about with the car. To name three: a leisure centre locker while the owner was having a swim, a community centre cloakroom, and an office - the thief wandered in suited and booted and nicked the keys from a jacket pocket. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 10 Mar 12 17:17   Lock up your car keys - Dutchie

Every where you go you have to be vigilant.Locking your car, house, set burglar alarms.When using credit cards who is standing behind you when using a hole in the wall.If people are up to no good no law will stop them. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 10 Mar 12 17:37   Lock up your car keys - swiss tony

>> To name three: a leisure centre locker while the owner was having a swim, That happened to my nephew a few years ago. They must have watched him, and his family get into the pool before ransacking his locker, and taking his month old (or so) BMW 5 series...... Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 10 Mar 12 17:41   Lock up your car keys - Clk Sec

I had my wallet stolen from my office by an opportunist some years ago. Never left it in my coat after that. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 10 Mar 12 17:46   Lock up your car keys - Iffy

A wallet, but no keys, was taken from our head office. The thief got lost in the building, and one of the receptionists kindly showed him the way out. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 10 Mar 12 17:49   Lock up your car keys - Clk Sec

Receptionists can be most helpful... Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 10 Mar 12 17:51   Lock up your car keys - Iffy

...and red-faced in this case. Predictably, my lot locked the stable door by introducing a pass system for visitors. Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 10 Mar 12 17:58   Lock up your car keys - Bromptonaut

>> Predictably, my lot locked the stable door by introducing a pass system for visitors. >> > Sounds like a Civil Service response!! Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 10 Mar 12 19:58   Lock up your car keys - BobbyG

W had a thief in my place who stole a few mobile phones and purses, including from a patients bedside. I caught him down in our basement and basically pinned him down until the police came (this was not unusual for me to do in the supermarkets but in my new job it was totally unheard of with my colleagues). When the police came they discovered he had the keys to a car which was parked outside and that had been stolen after he had pinched keys from a jacket in a health centre. Reply to this message | Report message       1

Sat 10 Mar 12 19:59   Lock up your car keys - BobbyG

And on that note, it is so funny seeing the different reaction from a colleague. From "Bobby, be gentle you can't do that to him" to "the wee bar steward" when she realised he had her phone and purse! Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 10 Mar 12 23:10   Lock up your car keys - bathtub tom

We had a gatekeeper who got a hacksaw to remove the lock from a bike that a school kid claimed he'd left on our premises and lost the key. The rightful owner was less than pleased! Reply to this message | Report message

Sat 10 Mar 12 23:39   Lock up your car keys - Dave_

When I did parcel deliveries for DHL, I was expected to lock the vehicle when parked and to keep the keys safe at all times. Their security team was apt to follow their vans around by car and attempt to swipe a parcel (or the whole van, if able) - resulting in dismissal of the driver if they succeeded. I've always observed 100% vehicle security, even with my own car, since those days. My dad thinks it's funny, as you could leave your car with the engine running all day and night outside his house and it would stay there. My home security is robust but not over-the-top. There's only one family up this end whose visitors would be likely to have a go at burgling the neighbours, at least we'd know where to look. I've got nothing worth nicking anyway. And I always use the safe in reception at the swimming pool for my car keys, and always choose a locker in the most heavily-trafficked part of the (unisex i.e. busy) changing area. Last edited by: Dave_TDCi on Sat 10 Mar 12 at 23:42 Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 11 Mar 12 08:56   Lock up your car keys - L'escargot

It's times like these that I'm pleased that, when it's not being used, my car is kept safe and sound in my garage. When I'm not at home my car keys (two sets) are in my pockets. Last edited by: L'escargot on Sun 11 Mar 12 at 08:58 Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 11 Mar 12 16:02   Lock up your car keys - Dave

I hide my car keys in the car's ashtray. 100% successful so far! Not sure if the fact that it's an 11 year old rotten Skoda has anything to do with it though. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 11 Mar 12 16:15   Lock up your car keys - Dog

Do what I do Dave and leave the keys in the ignition all night so y'all know where to find em come the morn :) Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 11 Mar 12 16:17   Lock up your car keys - Stuu

Ive the best defence against car theft - a Perodua. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 11 Mar 12 17:24   Lock up your car keys - Bill Payer

Apparently thefts of later BMWs are at epidemic proportions in some parts of the UK. The thieves don't need the keys, the car will program a blank one (obtained cheaply from China) itself! Last edited by: Bill Payer on Sun 11 Mar 12 at 17:25 Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 11 Mar 12 19:40   Lock up your car keys - Dave

Surely a solution is to go back to the old fashioned security methods - bypass a crucial fuse and run the circuit through a hidden toggle switch somewhere. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 11 Mar 12 19:49   Lock up your car keys - Runfer D'Hills

Back in the dim and distant past, when two door cars ( EG Minis of the time ) simply had a front seat which was hinged at the front to allow entry to the rear seats, a guy I knew had one which had a dodgy door lock and he couldn't lock it. Instead he used to leave two stink-bomb capsules strategically placed under the rear "feet" of the driver's seat. Idea being that anyone sitting in the driver's seat without knowing to remove them wouldn't especially enjoy it. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 11 Mar 12 19:51   Lock up your car keys - -

>> Surely a solution is to go back to the old fashioned security methods - bypass >> a crucial fuse and run the circuit through a hidden toggle switch somewhere. >> Hmm..::), had my LPG installer scratching his bonce for a good while pondering his error. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 11 Mar 12 21:54   Lock up your car keys - Ted

When I was in the office I used a series of cheapo cars to do the 60 mile round trip. I could easily remove the steering wheel from the Mk2 Fiesta and take it in to work on night shifts. The others had 6ft of really stout chain padlocked round the seat frame, wrapped round the wheel rim and secured with another padlock. Cheap..I had a fair amount of chain from my recovery days.. I made it obvious on the wheel to deter the idiots who were taking lock barrels out and hotwiring the cars. No point if you couldn't get round the first corner ! I didn't imagine any would be twoccers would have a decent pair of boltcroppers or a big enough hacksaw about their person to deal with my old bangers. Ted Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 11 Mar 12 21:59   Lock up your car keys - R.P.

I thought that Manchester was a crime free place....I was wandering around the City centre yesterday (bike in for service) Noticed a 60 plate Yamaha (big bike) the bike had a security lock on the front wheel, but the bike keys were in the top box lock......luckily I bumped into a patrolling Police Officer - she was shocked the bike was still there ! Last edited by: R.P. on Sun 11 Mar 12 at 22:04 Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 11 Mar 12 22:25   Lock up your car keys - rtj70

Quite a few years ago at my gym my locker was broken in to and money taken from wallet and nothing else. They could have got a car - and the house keys were in the car (no address in the car). The thieves had taken notes from wallet coins from trousers (left the cards presumably chip and pin was why) and took my mobile. Normally the mobile was off at the gym but forgot this time. Thoughts on why/how they chose my locker: - Mobile on so detectable - Bluetooth enabled to sync with laptop for contacts/diary - Original gym combination locker and I am sure there was a pair of trainers on top of the lockers... camera? Since then I don't use a combination lock, wallet/keys "hidden" etc. Fingers crossed. The weekend I had things stolen the gym claimed it was just me. I spoke to the police detective investigating and there was nearly a dozen! Gym was not happy when I found out more details. In the house I'd not hide the keys to the car... because of immobilisers etc. some thieves even resort to hand guns when you've started the car or at junctions. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 11 Mar 12 22:28   Lock up your car keys - rtj70

Just remembered years ago someone walking around the office leaving sticky notes if you'd left keys (especially car keys) on the desk. Easy to steal. Despite security door in one of our offices (now closed due to consolidation of office space to 3 buildings) laptops would also go walkabout. And if you put a laptop in the boot.... by the time you got in the car it might be gone... I used to open the Passat's two stage locking, put the laptop in, lock the Passat, open the Passat (only drivers door) and then get in. Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 11 Mar 12 22:57   Lock up your car keys - Ted

You should have got in touch, Rob. I was in all day working on the Jowett. You could have hopped a tram from Cornbrook. Fresh filter always available here ! Ted Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 11 Mar 12 23:05   Lock up your car keys - R.P.

got the Cornbrook tram into town - I was due to meet a FB friend but we missed each other as I only had my rugged dumb phone with me. Mind you had good wander ! Thans Reply to this message | Report message

Sun 11 Mar 12 23:18   Lock up your car keys - BobbyG

Hope that FB was , as in, Face book friend?? Reply to this message | Report message       1

Sun 11 Mar 12 23:50   Lock up your car keys - rtj70

I don't think he meant the other FB meaning... which I just worked out what you meant! Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 12 Mar 12 07:33   Lock up your car keys - R.P.

And me - FACEBOOK ! Reply to this message | Report message

Mon 12 Mar 12 09:55   Lock up your car keys - Westpig

>> I don't think he meant the other FB meaning... which I just worked out what >> you meant! >> Is it so wrong to have a Fire Brigade friend? Reply to this message | Report message