Car/driveway security, alert and monitoring

[CapEnd]

Hi Guys,

 

I run a Stolen Land Rover Monitoring Website, called LandyWatch - www.landywatch.co.uk - and we are looking for different ideas for securing our vehicles.

 

As you may know, the Land Rover Defender in particular is a very common vehicle to be stolen, due to the simplicity of the vehicle, its value, ease of stripping the vehicle down to parts for selling, and being shipped abroad.

 

Currently, we are experiencing an epidemic in the Sheffield area, and we are aware of around 30 that have been stolen in the last few weeks.

 

I was thinking that with us on here being technically minded and experienced in all sorts of different areas, we may be able to get some ideas from you guys of what we could possibly do to make our vehicles more secure.

 

Currently we reccomend the Disklok for the steering wheel parked on full lock, pedal locks, roof markings, security etching etc.

 

Is there any ideas you have for cheap and simple security systems, that you may have used, or ideas you may have on how we could make our vehicles more secure.

Ways to alert the owner if their is someone poking around the vehicle

Methods to scare them off

 

Stuff like that.

 

Anything you can think of would be a great help.

[DJ-Jonesy]

How about a pack a ravaging dogs for protection? i know how you feel tho as a couple of friends have Land Rovers and they have noticed an increase in thefts so they are trying to come up with ways to protect.

 

Will keep my eye on this thread

[Dos_Box]

What would be handy is a battery powered wireless camera with motion detector to fit inside the car if the vehicle is parked in range of a home wi-fi network. Teh minutie someone tries anything it can then FTP pics directly to a remote location.

Micro Spy has quite a few ideas, but nothing that quite fits that criteria though: Hidden Spy Camera home page

Actually, I've just found this site which may be more promising: In Car Camera Systems - Vehicle Cameras/ Car Camera - Taxi Camera - Car Black Box Recorder - Trackday Camera - BlackVue DR400 HD

[CapEnd]

Mention LandyWatch to them, its totally free and when a vehicle goes missing, we all get an email. Details are posted on Facebook and Twitter too.

 

A pack of ravaging dogs sounds good, but wolves would be better...

[HaleStorm]

In sheffield, the main place you want to watch is Foxhill estate, as they park them there for 2days to make sure they have not got trackers before they make them disappear, i know because we managed to recover my mates from there, some chav tried to tell us that it was his car and he swiftly turned on his heals when we produced a key and unlocked it

[HaleStorm]

In the way of methods, the dog is a good idea, in the summer my friend (same mentioned as above) get his dog to kip in the back of his landy so no-one goes near it, it hasnt however stopped them stealing the bonnet twice. Security etching is relativly cheap, perhaps snap-off stearing wheels? kind of like F1 cars but without all the buttons?

[jdoyle]

after a spate of car thefts, a guy near my aunt's house in Dublin use to take the drivers seat indoors each evening.

[Mcshammer_dj]

FIt an Electric fule pump with a cut out switch hidden inside the cab some where. I used to have this on my Old VW and the old beast would only travel about .5 of a mile before it ran out of fuel.

[DJ-Jonesy]

Driveway Alarms | Wireless Driveway Alarms | Driveway Alert

 

Found this and thought i would share, some sort of sensor would do well but could get quiet annoying if a cat keeps crossing and setting off the alarm

[denzal2k4]

battery cut off switch or fuel cut off switch as menitoned, try an have them hidden somewhere, behind drivers seat etc, i've had minis so know all about trying to keep them secure! also leave them in gear, full lock etc

[HaleStorm]

can you get an cut off switch that is key-operated? that would make it even more secure if it was hidden somewhere, perhaps behind a false dashboard front or under one of the seats?

[HaleStorm]

to further my idea of the snap off steering wheel, perhaps a screw on/off gear lever post? so you can leave it in gear and then take away the changer post so it cant be knocked out of gear?

[CapEnd]

We have to try and make them things that people will actually do, and not thing that they cant be bothered unscrewing the gear lever etc etc.

 

Im seriously considering digging a hole and attaching a ground anchor and filling it with concrete. I could then weld something onto the chassis, and padlock the car to the ground.

 

The driveway alarm looks good, but as you say it could get annoying. Maybe it could be put inside the car so you know when someone gets in it, but then it would be nice to know someone is snooping around it before they get inside...

[HaleStorm]

If people get in the habit though, turn off car, grab gear stick and steering wheel, jump out and flick isolator switch....but on second thoughts it is a long process especially if you get home and your busting for a pee

[simpsonj]

Some how embed a computer or laptop with Prey (Open source anti-theft solution for your laptop, phone and tablet – Prey) installed?

[CapEnd]

Some how embed a computer or laptop with Prey (Open source anti-theft solution for your laptop, phone and tablet – Prey) installed?

 

That could work, old phone hidden in car wired up to a car charger...

[tech_guy]

It's not just up north, we're having this happening in the Midlands as well. A builder friend came out of his house to find his bonnet and doors had gone on his 90 and my brother-in-law came up to visit and had his brand new land rover 110 cased in the local Tesco car park by some right looking rogues.

[HaleStorm]

It's not just up north, we're having this happening in the Midlands as well. A builder friend came out of his house to find his bonnet and doors had gone on his 90 and my brother-in-law came up to visit and had his brand new land rover 110 cased in the local Tesco car park by some right looking rogues.

 

Its because replacements cost so much as they are solid metal, and can be sold quickly, easily and for a lot of money

[tech_guy]

Its because replacements cost so much as they are solid metal, and can be sold quickly, easily and for a lot of money

 

I know - I've just seen a bonnet go on eBay for over £300. If somebody nicked mine I wouldn't be at all happy. I use an immobiliser and wheel locks. Think I might start parking it at the back of my house now instead of on the driveway. Out of sight and out of mind and all that.

Edited November 29, 2011 by tech_guy

[denzal2k4]

can you get an cut off switch that is key-operated? that would make it even more secure if it was hidden somewhere, perhaps behind a false dashboard front or under one of the seats?

 

yep thats what I meant Carpoint Leisure Battery Cut Off Switch the switch sits on the live battery cable and the key completes the circuit so just take it out at night, that's what I had, though many a time early in the morning I couldnt figure out why the car wouldnt start DOH!

[CapEnd]

Any landy owners are more than welcome over at Welcome to Landy Watch. Keeping an eye on your Land Rover

[MatthewL]

What about a wheel clamp?

[DT2]

Well, there's some good ideas coming up, but being the owner of a 96 disco 300 tdi I have a little trick under my sleeve .

So, with an EDC you need to find your positive feed on your loom. Extend this and put a switch under the drivers side dash (inside the drop-down if you like). You could also do this with the fuel solenoid. Once switched off, the damn thing won't even start. And if you really like to tinker, you could put a cut-off on the fuel lift pump, but that can be a ball ache to get to.

I have also seen the big motorbike locks pinned to concrete driveways and the chain wrapped around the rear axle.

None of this will stop them stripping it of doors or hoods, but it will keep your LR pretty safe.

The problem with a battery cut-off is that any primary alarm/immobiliser will cease to function.

 

DT