Thread: ODB Thefts
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      08-24-2012, 05:25 AM   #24
1275rob
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Drives: E92 320i Coupe
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Sutton Coldfield

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BMW Thefts

Quote:
Originally Posted by mrsbutton View Post

Thanks so much for the walk through of getting to my OBD. I'll finish the job later today

Thanks also for the taser idea...that's so good I would be willing to never sleep again just to try and catch a would-be thief getting shocked to s**t!

I agree, I think these OBD thefts are getting a lot of coverage because they expose some serious faults in the BM security system and yes, we need to remember that there are all sorts of other thefts being carried out far more often. I saw a comment from someone on another thread asking about why the ODB's aren't encrypted or have better technology based security. As an IT geek myself, there are thousands of options BM could implement, the only reasons I can think of that they haven't are a)cost and b)industry compliance.

However likely this is though, after having my old house broken into and my R32 nicked in under 5 minutes (watched them do it on the house CCTV the next morning) and then not having the insurance pay out (long story) just to know that my car was targeted on Friday night is enough to make me want to cover all the bases.

I don't know how true any of this OBD stuff is, but hey, if by taking a few steps my car isn't nicked, then I'm happy.

I'm in a suburb of Birmingham (near Sutton Coldfield) and your right this is a big issue for the police around here. I was told by my friendly local bobby that there have been 60-odd thefts since the start of the year on BM's in this way. Apparently it was in the local paper a couple of weeks ago too.

It remains to be seen if my car was targeted because it is a BM or if the thieving little scumbags were just after a nice motor. I spread the word about what had happened to a few neighbours who have nice cars on Saturday and at about 9pm that night a young lad from across the road came over to say that his sporty little hot hatch had just had just been done (they'd popped the lock barrel right into the door) Luckily he has a large and slightly mad dog who heard something and went berserk at the front window. The guy came out to see a car speed off up the road. In the end he went and locked up his car in his works' yard...

Thanks again for the help and advice, I'll get my OBD sorted later and keep you posted on anything else I hear/see.....



Mrs (wannabe) Button
As a BMW owner and a West Mids Bobby I can tell you that the frequency of BMW's ( Mainly M Sports ) being stolen is alarming. I along with other colleagues have moved the OBD port from its current position as it can be accessed without acivating the alarm as just within the door area is a blind spot for the alarm. Mostley the thieves are smashing the window to gain access so if you move the port they wont bother hunting around for it, its cheap and easy to do ( DIY ) Also I know it dont look good but use a good steering lock as non of the cars I know that have been stolen have had one fitted. The thieves want something quick and easy to steal so make it harder for them. We recover loads using tracker, its expensive but so are M3's.
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