[sheps]

....that are being hoofed via OBD-port theft.

My buddy woke up this morning, looked out onto his drive and the 520dM-Sport (E60) he's using whilst his new Audi is being built was notable by its absence.

No glass breakage, no stolen keys, just a big empty space where his 5'er should have been.

This isn't a major city either - a sleepy little market town in Cambridgeshire.

This is getting silly.

[Mart1000]

Which town?

[Frobius]

I'm getting CCTV.

[MEGA]

Glad my port has been disabled..

[xenon]

If there was no glass in evidence they were either exceptionally tidy or were using a different method to gain access in the first place.

[sheps]

Originally Posted by xenon

If there was no glass in evidence they were either exceptionally tidy or were using a different method to gain access in the first place.

I though part of the mystery about how these were going included how no broken glass was required to gain access?

[sheps]

Originally Posted by Mart1000

Which town?

St. Neots

[sheps]

Originally Posted by Frobius

I'm getting CCTV.

Just realised you're just up the road from me!

[yeti racing]

Originally Posted by sheps

St. Neots

Ouch, thats getting close to me!

[xenon]

Originally Posted by sheps

I though part of the mystery about how these were going included how no broken glass was required to gain access?

No the 'mystery' was accessing the OBD port without setting the alarm off - most cases seemed to leave glass because they knock out the window with a centre-punch and slide their arm down to the OBD in the alarm blind spot.

[sheps]

Originally Posted by xenon

No the 'mystery' was accessing the OBD port without setting the alarm off - most cases seemed to leave glass because they knock out the window with a centre-punch and slide their arm down to the OBD in the alarm blind spot.

Ahhhhh.
So, there's a 'blind spot' that leads to the zone that allows one to steal the car?
Brilliant.

On the glass thing, I thought I read somewhere that people were using code grabbers (for want of a better phrase) that allowed the car to be opened without the need fro breaking glass - the infamous 1M theft, for example - I don't recall seeing or hearing about any glass being broken to take that?

[dxb335d]

Sheps, please explain to me how they do it?

Is there anything that can be done to prevent it.

[Hotcoupe]

Originally Posted by sheps

Ahhhhh.
On the glass thing, I thought I read somewhere that people were using code grabbers (for want of a better phrase) that allowed the car to be opened without the need fro breaking glass

The car was probably targetted at an earlier time, at another location by using the code grabber,scrotes did the key cloning at same location and then car followed back to it's location for lifting at a later time.

[sheps]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

Sheps, please explain to me how they do it?

Is there anything that can be done to prevent it.

I'm probably not the best man to explain it, because I'm struggling myself to totally understand it;

What I know is that, once into the car (or sufficiently so to have access to the diagnostics port) a full key profile can be downloaded onto a new, blank key, allowing the thieves to start the car as normal and drive off.

To prevent this, you can do what Mega (and others) have done which is to disable and/or move the OBD port.

What I'm struggling to understand is how access is gained to the car without the alarm going off. I'm sure in some instances glass is broken to gain access, but I'm sure this isn't always the case.

[sheps]

Originally Posted by Hotcoupe

The car was probably targetted at an earlier time, at another location by using the code grabber,scrotes did the key cloning at same location and then car followed back to it's location for lifting at a later time.

Sounds plausible. But they're obviously decent drivers to have kept up with my pal; he drives everywhere like a hungry fat lass 2 minutes before McDonalds is due to close.

[dxb335d]

Thanks Si, how do you go about disabling the OBD port and what negatives are there from doing this ?

[magic77]

Looking on you tube there are plenty of tool sto do it or case of dodgy mechs cloning keys, the other option I heard from a source is more simple. A film on the outside of the window. Center punch to break glass as it doesnt fall inside no alarm goes off. You then pull the window out as its in peices stuck to the film.

[sheps]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

Thanks Sj, how do you go about disabling the OBD port and what negatives are there from doing this ?

That one is definitely over my head!
I'd take it to someone far smarter than me and tell them to "Make it so" - perhaps Dave can chip in and advise?

Only negative I can think of is, if your car is under warranty, that's going to give you grief. Outside of that, I can think of any downsides...

[xenon]

Your e46 (@ dxb) is not affected but people have either physically relocated the OBD port or removed some of the wires behind. Downside is having to connect them back up again for legitimate use.

The alarm movement sensor is a bit insensitive by design. The idea is that somebody getting in to the car will set it off, which it will, but minor movements will not. Obviously nobody foresaw the OBD theft process at the time. Simply breaking a side glass will not set off the alarm.

[Hotcoupe]

Originally Posted by sheps

Sounds plausible. But they're obviously decent drivers to have kept up with my pal; he drives everywhere like a hungry fat lass 2 minutes before McDonalds is due to close.

It sounds like you and your friend have much in common Si

[dxb335d]

Originally Posted by xenon

Your e46 (@ dxb) is not affected but people have either physically relocated the OBD port or removed some of the wires behind. Downside is having to connect them back up again for legitimate use.

The alarm movement sensor is a bit insensitive by design. The idea is that somebody getting in to the car will set it off, which it will, but minor movements will not. Obviously nobody foresaw the OBD theft process at the time. Simply breaking a side glass will not set off the alarm.

Hi mate I'm aware my car is ok, but my old mans E61 M5 is at risk.

[xenon]

Yes - I think if I'd be relocating the OBD port. Probably the best deterrent is the old-fashioned disclock steering wheel lock. It's ridiculous to need one on a modern car but these thiefs want to be in and away. They're not going to want to sit there with an angle grinder, even if they can be defeated.