sbce90

Hey guys, so last night I heard a car alarm go off. I thought I would go and peek outside to see what car it was, as my car alarm has been rather sensitive since new.

Twice I have gone to my car in the morning to find the rear windows down, and neigbours have said that the alarm was going off as well. Now I'm fairly certain I put the windows up at night because I close the sunroof shade/put up rear blind etc... to try keep sunlight out. Anyway this is one problem. Only happened twice and unlikely a dealer would be able to find a fault if I took it in.

So after hearing the alarm last night and looking out I saw it was my C63s alarm going off. From my elevated position I could not really make out whether or not the rear windows were down again so I went outside to have a look.

As I approached the car from the drivers side all seemed fine, but then I went across to the passenger side and found the rear 3/4 window broken.





There was nothing inside the car so it was not caused by something being thrown at the vehicle (like a ball or rock etc..). There was also nothing visible in the car at all so its not like they would reach in to grab something.

According to police, thieves often break the rear little window as it makes the least sound. They may then try to jimmy up the little lock knob thing. I could not find any evidence of other door damage and there were no other marks in the interior panel near the lock knob thing. There was no exterior damage like scratches/dents/badges etc... and no other car was damaged. After running into another neighbour this afternoon their daughters said they heard some people on skateboards hanging around and talking for a bit. Then the alarm went off, a car came and stopped for a second then drove off again, and then there were no more people talking ie - car might have picked them up.

I'm not so concerned about the damage as it is easily fixed and the motive is unclear, but my main question is this..

If you can break in, how do you start the car anyway? Does the car not need to be matched up with the correct set of keys with the laser thingy?

rage2

Immobilizer. Won't start without the right key.

SheryarYO

i think from what i've read before that it is not possible to start the car without one of the laser keys that are matched to the car. the only way that your car can be stolen is if one of your keys is also stolen or if someone somehow gets a new key made for your car and uses that.

Guilty

If I wanted to steal a car, I'll just have it towed

jvanbrecht

If they want your car.. they will get your car.. the question is how much damage will they do in the process. Immobilizers and alarms are easily bypassed (usually involves ripping apart the steering column though).

Security measures in place are not a prevention, rather a deterrent, hoping the thief will move onto another vehicle.

DonjuanOriginal

A lot of new cars have stopped using the traditional key ignition. Choosing ie. Push button start. But a co worker of mine had his brand New Kia Suv Towed of his driveway.last year. It had push button start. Amazingly days before he was going to pick-up a new Suv(insurance). Police found it untouched in a parking lot. Stupid thieves couldn't start it so they ditched it. Immobilizer or Alarm your car can be stolen. Good Luck with your C63.

PatSC23

If they want it they will tow it - some thieves also break in and look for a valet key in the glove box. This happened to me when I had an M3, it was very common for them to pop the lock and look for the valet key. BMW even went as far as to send us stickers with the logo "No Valet Key" to stick on our windows.

Im not sure who is stupid enough to keep a valet key in the car, but if you do, take it out.

rage2

While aftermarket immobilizers are easy to bypass, modern cars have them built into the ECU so it needs the codes from the key to start. Even when installing a remote starter, you have to program a key into the unit to get the codes to start it without a key. It's not easy.

Like Guilty says, professionals usually just tow the car and strip it down.

sbce90

I thought that it would be difficult to start without the correct key. Obviously if someone wanted it they would just take it by whatever means. Clearly these people were of a novice level as they left after the alarm went off... But then I suppose the alarm did its job to deter them.

63'd

I doubt this was an attempted auto theft. This is probably either an act of vandalism or an attempted auto burglary.

sbce90

But if vandalism then why not any other cars around? And why not obvious things like key scratching the car or taking badges etc... There was nothing in the car worth taking.

63'd

Who knows? Maybe the alarm spooked them before they could vandalize further, or gain entry. People burglarize cars all the time just to "look" and see what you have under the seat, in the console, or glove box.

seo

Had the same window broken on my car, couldn't figure out why they would break the mini window...

mikekuriger

maybe you pissed someone off?

Sincity

That, or OP had the nicest car around and people looking for money or electronics?

otakki

I wonder if they hit your window with their skateboards, with the skateboard wheel being the striking point.

How come cars nowadays don't have the tilt sensors like before? That will make towing and wheel vandal more difficult.

ZephyrAMG

Sorry about that but that window is easily replaceable.....just sucks!! And you are in Aust where crime is supposed to be on the low???

stangxs

I hate seeing stuff like this, pisses me off! That's why I'd never own a nice car if I didn't have a garage to put it in.

SLS Qatar

Sorry about that man.

I hope the idiot that did this gets run over by a 20 ton truck running @ 140mph

Mikegpr03

+1!

sbce90

That was the first thing I thought of, but no I can't think of anyone really.


Yeh, like I said I'm not worried about the damage and frankly I never really get worried with damage to material goods. It can be fixed.

GrnLantern

Some people have no respect for other people's property. You just don't mess with someone's car. *sigh*

CoolBDPhenom03

It's worse with motorcycles. People just feel like they can pose and sit and whatever.

GrnLantern

Yup.

CoolBDPhenom03

One guy in SF had his helmet pissed in by a homeless guy. Another had teriyaki sauce poured on his seat.