[W2k]

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Long story short, I don't have a private garage so I park in a public one that's close to where I live. Technically not open to the general public (you need a keycard), and with plenty of security cameras, I was surprised to see that someone's Porsche had been jacked up and had its wheels taken. Clearly not on the owner's request as the car was resting on the brake discs.

My car hadn't been touched nor had any of the other G60's in the garage (interestingly there are quite a few). I just have the BMW stock rims. Nonetheless, this made me think about taking reasonable precautions to avoid a similar fate, for insurance purposes if nothing else. My car did come with locking wheel nuts, but is that considered sufficient in this day and age? What are you doing to de-risk having parts stolen off your car, provided a fully private garage or moving to a better neighborhood aren't viable options?

[///M TOWN]

Originally Posted by W2k

Long story short, I don't have a private garage so I park in a public one that's close to where I live. Technically not open to the general public (you need a keycard), and with plenty of security cameras, I was surprised to see that someone's Porsche had been jacked up and had its wheels taken. Clearly not on the owner's request as the car was resting on the brake discs.

My car hadn't been touched nor had any of the other G60's in the garage (interestingly there are quite a few). I just have the BMW stock rims. Nonetheless, this made me think about taking reasonable precautions to avoid a similar fate, for insurance purposes if nothing else. My car did come with locking wheel nuts, but is that considered sufficient in this day and age? What are you doing to de-risk having parts stolen off your car, provided a fully private garage or moving to a better neighborhood aren't viable options?

Thieves are for the most part lazy

I personally use a car cover with a lock

And yes wheel locks are never a bad thing

[philth]

Unfortunately, if they want it bad enough, they’ll get it. Just make sure your mods are covered by your insurance/update your policy with any add ons to the car.

Anything marketed as ‘locking’ or ‘security’ just adds a few seconds of work for the thief. Rims are easy, the ‘pros’ usually carry the sockets/keys with them.
SOMETIMES - those few seconds will make them move on to the next target that does not have these additional constraints. Other times, they’ll make an absolute mess of your car, ultimately leaving it ruined and making you wonder if you even want it anymore.
I’ve seen cars/motorcycles/wheels get stolen from private garages, it’s just more work for them, but like I said; if they want it, they’ll get it [or destroy it their attempt to get it]

[W2k]

I understand quite well that a sufficiently determined thief will get my stuff no matter what. However, I also know that they will go for the easiest prey absent very strong motivation. Since I just have BMW stock rims, I expect if they want BMW stock rims, they would have quite a number of cars to choose from - as I mentioned, I'm not the only G60 owner by far, and there are plenty of other nice cars in the same garage as well.

So what I'm looking for are ways to make my car seem a particularly unappealing target. Not to make it theft-proof as such, as this probably isn't realistic anyway.

[philth]

Originally Posted by W2k

as this probably isn't realistic anyway.

Not realistic and thieves are not lazy these days, unfortunately.
I’m just being real with you and anyone else reading this.

You can try the locking nuts, parking in well lit lots, high traffic areas, etc…
Maybe switching to racing studs, as those are confusing to most people who don’t see them often? Wheel boot on each wheel?
But like I said earlier - Rims are EASY - wheel locks and all.

Entire vehicle? Old school steering wheel lock and OBD port lock. Both of those add enough time that they’ll more likely move on from your vehicle. But, I’ve known all of those to be broken easily and quickly by people.

[M5Rick]

Try two locking nuts/lugs on each wheel in high risk area with different key insets instead of just the one, and was there no car alarm going off on the porsche being jacked up?? The only way to get locking wheel nuts off without master key is to drill them.

[W2k]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

Try two locking nuts/lugs on each wheel in high risk area with different key insets instead of just the one, and was there no car alarm going off on the porsche being jacked up??

Using double locking nuts (with one of them being something a little exotic like Rimgards) has occurred to me, yes.

I don't really know why the Porsche's alarm going off didn't catch anybody's attention. Of course it's possible it was not triggered for some reason. Only someone with access to the security camera footage would know. I feel bad for the owner.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by W2k

Using double locking nuts (with one of them being something a little exotic like Rimgards) has occurred to me, yes.

I don't really know why the Porsche's alarm going off didn't catch anybody's attention. Of course it's possible it was not triggered for some reason. Only someone with access to the security camera footage would know. I feel bad for the owner.

What P-car was it, a 911,Taycan or suv... I'm guessing a 911.

[W2k]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

What P-car was it, a 911,Taycan or suv... I'm guessing a 911.

Cayman.

[BeEmVe]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

The only way to get locking wheel nuts off without master key is to drill them.

Incorrect, locking wheels nuts can easily be removed by smashing a smaller sized socket on to the nut. That creates enough grab that they come right off. Been there done that.

At one point we had BMW locking wheel nuts but the !@#$% cheap piece crap key which is press fit into the socket was no longer a press fit. We managed to get the nuts off without resorting to the above. They did not go back on.

On another vehicle the tech striped the key and the nut. The nut was removed using the above technique. Fortunately I bought second key so could get the other nuts off. The dealer paid for a new nut and key.

If you don't want your vehicle messed with don't have the nicest vehicle in the parking lot. Regardless don't leave anything visible in it.

[M5Rick]

QUOTE=BeEmVe;32168374]Incorrect, locking wheels nuts can easily be removed by smashing a smaller sized socket on to the nut. That creates enough grab that they come right off. Been there done that.

At one point we had BMW locking wheel nuts but the !@#$% cheap piece crap key which is press fit into the socket was no longer a press fit. We managed to get the nuts off without resorting to the above. They did not go back on.

On another vehicle the tech striped the key and the nut. The nut was removed using the above technique. Fortunately I bought second key so could get the other nuts off. The dealer paid for a new nut and key.

If you don't want your vehicle messed with don't have the nicest vehicle in the parking lot. Regardless don't leave anything visible in it.[/QUOTE]
---
Glad it worked for you. Obviously you don't want a tire fitter putting an impact wrench on the locking lug nut key, that's an instant f up

[NSXR]

A friend of mine uses 3 different types of lugs on his car, so the thief would need to be pretty handy. Wheel locks are useless IMO. If I were parking my car outside I'd have an audible response when people get near my car that said they were being recorded.

[freakystyly]

The tilt sensor should sound the alarm if your car is jacked up. It's easy to accidentally disable it by pounding lock on your fob like people often do.

Source: I've often forgot to unlock my car when changing wheels.

[afadeev]

Originally Posted by W2k

I was surprised to see that someone's Porsche had been jacked up and had its wheels taken. Clearly not on the owner's request as the car was resting on the brake discs.

]Nonetheless, this made me think about taking reasonable precautions to avoid a similar fate, for insurance purposes if nothing else.

The best precaution for you is continuing to park next to more expensive cars with more expensive rims!

Originally Posted by W2k

My car did come with locking wheel nuts, but is that considered sufficient in this day and age?

Not even remotely.
If thieves had sufficient time and privacy to jack up the car and remove 4 wheels, extra few seconds per wheel to defeat wheel locks will not be much of a deterrent.

Originally Posted by W2k

What are you doing to de-risk having parts stolen off your car, provided a fully private garage or moving to a better neighborhood aren't viable options?

Longer term - move to a better neighborhood is the only right answer.
Short term - continue parking to juicier targets!

HTH,
a

[BlkGS]

Lots of bad advice in here, as per usual around here.

First, locking lug nuts aren't gonna do crap. I can have them off my cars without a key in a few seconds. Socket, bang bang bang with a hammer, spin it right off. Been there, done that, replaced the locks on the wife's car with ones I had the key for.

Alarms... Not all alarms have a tilt switch. Also, it sounds like the garage is not attached to a house, and so you're running odds if someone is even out there. Going one step further, what makes you think anyone would even intervene? A woman got burned alive on a subway and people just filmed it, you think these people are gonna jump in and be a hero for your wheels?! Get real.

Parking next to nicer cars... Nice in theory, but remember that they got a sell these wheels, and there's a lot less people willing to buy stolen Porsche wheels than stolen BMW wheels. Especially if you've got nice wheels.

Dash cameras you could at least get video of the incident possibly, whatever good that does you. At least you could show insurance so they don't think you just wanted them to buy you new wheels? You can turn it over to the cops, but I'm gonna guess based on the situation explained, they likely have bigger fish to fry than wheel thefts.

What can you do? Aside from the obvious of "vote smarter" and "become an advocate for stronger policing and more aggressive criminal justice protection", make yourself inconvenient and less valuable. Wheel locks will help, and of you have them in place of all your lugs, you're going to really make their night annoying. They might smash your window in frustration, and your tire shop will hate your guts, but iodds are they're not going to deal with the hassle of extracting 20 locking lugs. Park in a place where there's lots of video coverage and lighting. Get a dash cam and park by a camera and other cars with dash cams. Park where it's well lit. Buy ugly wheels that nobody wants. Make the risk high and the reward low.

Or get a garage.of your own

[Efthreeoh]

There are thieves in Sweeden?

[W2k]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

There are thieves in Sweeden?

Sure. There are thieves in every country. I wouldn't say it's particularly risky to own a car here, though.

[frank087234]

I thought there is security bolt on each wheel

[STi from DSM]

Be like Martin Lawrence and solve your crime the first day on the job (Blue Streak)
If a thief wants what you have they are going to take it. My Brother had someone smash his window and take out his stock AM/FM radio in his Chevy Celebrity back in the day. A stock radio that sucks ass to begin with! Sometimes people just do it to be dicks. Putting the car down on it's rotors is a cruel thing to do as well. But people want to be in and out quick. A professional will take maybe 30 seconds longer if you have wheel locks on granted this is if they know what they are doing. To an average thief it might deter them enough to move on to something else.

[HCGxKaLiBeR]

Lock only keep the honest people out. In your situation I would pick a spot that is well lid, close to a security camera. Avoid blind spot/corners.

[M2squared]

Lock nut. Makes it more difficult

[MagicJohnson]

Project farm on YT has a good video on wheel locks.