We had a camera stolen from an alarmed Honda Accord. It seems to me the doors were never opened. The power windows were tampered with, as all 4 were open about an inch when I came to the car in the morning. Perhaps there is some device they can stick down the door. When we alarmed the car and had someone sit inside and open the driver window, no key needed, the alarm did not go off. The trunk was opened from a lever on the floor, which I will lock from now on. The camera bag was in the trunk.
The alarm would have stopped the thief in this case, as the car was parked outside a motel. The Honda alarm is hard for me to test, as the key will also disarm the alarm when you use it. I will have it tested next time I have it serviced, though.
I was wondering if anyone had heard of similar thefts. The car itself is more difficult to steal. The power windows are a weakness, but no cars without power windows were available when I bought the car.
Yeah, I will check that part once more. I do remember checking the trunk and windows. In my car the windows roll down without a key, but not up. To prevent strangling kids.
OK, the alarm definitely does not work, doors are not alarmed.
Still, regarding the original post, how did they get in, as the car was locked, though not alarmed. No scratches or forcible entry marks on rubber seals. Seems to be relted to power windows.
I think we’ll get nailed by the monitors if we discuss how to get into a locked car, but…
Hondas (and others) are really easy to get into without causing damage. The steering column is not difficult to defeat either, and once you’ve done that much many alarms will shut down once the engine starts.
If you want to make yourself theft-proof the best system is one which incorporates an electronic chip in the key. The car can’t be started without the chip/key. But of course, you still have to deal with your scenario of having folks rob you.
It’s best to asume your car is never locked when it comes to leaving possessions inside. Pretty much the only peole door locks repel are average folks who don’t want to open your door and the odd opportunistic thief. If an experienced crook is looking to rob a car, it’s gonna happen. With or without an alarm.
I beg to differ. The steering column locks up when anything inside is tampered with on any car manufactured after 1985. There is a technique which, in keeping with not making the monitors mad, I won’t go into great detail with, but you can keep the steering column from locking up by a method under the dash near the turn signal, but unless you start the engine, as soon as you let go the steering column returns to it’s (almost) foolproof self. Otherwise you can’t really get the car anywhere without causing significant damage or starting it from the outside, which takes a decent amount of time and triggers most alarms.
Outside of that, if the windows were rolled down in inch, I think I won’t step on the monitor’s toes too much if I mention the commonly known coat-hanger trick. If you tested your car and the alarm, while engaged, isn’t triggered when you manually unlock the doors, that’d get them in and from there getting any possessions out, as mentioned above, is child’s play.