New member - my car was almost stolen, need bit of advice..

[2000_Black_RT10]

In the middle of the night last week they busted into my garage and attempted to steal my baby. 7000 mile Black RT/10 w/hardtop. Wife asked me why is the cover off the car and the garage door open? Ever get that sick feeling..

It was ready to go, neighbor saw a strange car lurking in front of our home one night. All is under investigation, I don't watch CSI much, but I could see they used cotton gloves, yet they did leave some arm hair where they pryed open the drivers window to reach in to unlatch the door, I'll keep that as a keepsake if time and cost permits a DNA analysis in the future, hearing criminals now have DNA records. Wouldn't it be nice to know who violated your property one day eh', like that movie with Uma Thurman - Gattaca?

I took a picture of it the next day in the meantime, Police stated they wanted to fingerprint the car and not to touch it at the time, doors were locked, battery was dead.

My damage observations -

Door window was forced open outward, bending the door window pillar outward by an inch or 2. It doesn't seem like anything is broken on the door, the pillar frame is just bent. No paint damage, just scuffs / rub marks on the hartop near the door glass.

I temporarily boosted the battery and the door locks work, but the alarm does not activate when the doors are opened from the inside if I turn the alarm on. The hood triggers the alarm, but only the lights flash, horn does not beep. Horn does work if depressed. Hood doesn't appear it was opened. I've disabled the car for the meantime.

Looks like they popped off the ignition key cover with a screwdriver and used a slide hammer to yank the lock cylinder out. The lock cylinder is missing, assuming it's on their slide hammer.

The column costs at a Dodge Dealer in USD is -

$904.00 column
$24.04 shoud-st
$14.11 shroud-lo
$39.24 retainers
$142.74 ignition + $20 to recode to keys

My deductible is $500, so I'll be dropping it off at a Dodge dealer in the next week or so, but if anyone has advice beforehand what I or they should look for damage to repair (cut alarm horn wires or ?), they don't have a Viper tech in-house at this local dealer.

Sad site.. but at least they didn't get the car.

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[Warfang]

*DELETED*

 

[Warfang]

W TF!? Sorry it had to happen to you. I added an outside motion sensor/floodlight to my garage and a video camera. It's not thief-proof, but will make someone think twice before doing something like that. Install cost would be less than your deductible.

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

Unbelievable. Just plain unbelievable. Did something scare them off or did they see it was a manual tranny and remember they cant drive a stick? Gawd, I HATE criminals!!!!!!!!

 

[big-n-italian]

i would secure your garage differently thats for sure. they know how to get past your current garages' security now.

 

[plumcrazy]

id move the car till something is in place to deter and capture pics of them if they do attemp to break in again.

 

[DodgeViper01]

Damn. Glad to see that they did not get away with the car.

 

[DEVILDOG]

Glad they did not get it! I have my overhead garage door alarmed(as is every opening in the house w/contact, glass break and motion sensors w/cellular call out backup to Brinks) as a precaution. If it goes off someone is going to be eating .45 caliber hollow points!

 

[ucfpete]

thats why i have lojack and ravelco on mine.

 

[GTS Bruce]

Overhead, side door and windows trigger the alarm.Inside infrared keeps an eye on things.The entire house is wired like this.Wife was burgularized in her old house.Oh and if an alarm goes off or beeps a 45 accompanies me to discover the problem. GTS Bruce

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

Sorry to hear about the hassle. I'm curious for all of us...How do you think they knew there was a Viper in the garage? That really is the big smoking gun. And how did they gain entry? How well was the garge protected? I see what I think is a nice boat on a trailer next to the car with the hitch pointing out. Wonder why they did not go for that if the Viper attempt failed. Makes me think they were pros who were only interested in the car and had inside info as to where it was. OR they were not pros, they were kids without a truck with a hitch, just looking for a joy ride. A little thought into who knows the car is in your garage or may have seen it RECENTLY, other than Viper friends, like workmen, lawn workers, garbage guys OR kids might be useful as clues. And finally, why did their attempt fail? What stopped them? Useful information for all of us.

 

[2000_Black_RT10]

Thanks guys, nice cars, blue on the cognac looks sweet.

I spent a few days installing a garage & house alarm system w/battery back-up, loud siren, bolted & welded on some big latches with those big puck style padlocks on the doors outside, camera, thinking if they have to work on them, might as well do it under the flood lights rather than inside the garage. Takes longer to get in & out of the garage for myself, but I don't use the car daily and I worry a bit less. Neighbors are helping too. We just moved into this house too, so the neighbors weren't aware of who is visiting, now they know. I only had the car at this place for 4 days. It was in the driveway one Saturday, that was it. My wife thinks I'm going overboard, maybe I'm too paranoid, but it happened.

They must have got scared off. I could start the car once boosted with a screwdriver in the slot in the bottom of the lock cylinder pocket. The part that bugs me is that my wife thought she heard a noise and looked in the garage at night and she seems to remember the car had it's cover off, but the lights weren't flashing. The door was a click open, not fully shut, maybe the interior light drained the battery overnight. I didn't realize this, but do the Viper keys have a proximity chip in them?

Police didn't really care, they just looked at the car and said "that's why they were here" like I deserved it. One office said looks like they only went into the drivers door, so they must be amateurs, usually it's easier to work from teh passenger door. I never heard of that observation. I worked hard to get this car, the laws need to be a bit more strict that's for sure.

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

You were only there for 4 days?! Who spotted the car? I would get a LoJack at this point.

 

[2000_Black_RT10]

What is in the back of my mind is that I mentioned moving out here on a Mopar site. How can thieves find out that the car was here in one day in the open in the driveway, that really does surprise me.

I worry about exposing any information whatsoever now, I now suspect these guys lurk our sites, is that being paranoid?

Lee - they were only interested in the car, other stuff was in the garage. I brought the boat up a couple weeks prior. I had a bad feeling about the garage door, it had flimsy latches, they pried the handle till it twisted, and forced the door open. I actually looped a thick mechanics wire around the boat hitch to the garage door frame, they pulled the door so hard it snapped the wire and pulled the boat out a foot or so. It's a nice area in the country side which is a popular route for people visiting the country side, I'd say about 20 - 30 Harleys may pass by on a nice day, but one of them may have been affiliated with a bad club, never know because it is known that that there are some biker issues not too far from us, but what I noticed is that the arm hair is grayish and curly, definitely not from a young person. I suspect this because my wife mentioned the incident at work, and someone said they heard a story that bikers followed a kid who had a Viper and tried to steal it.

 

[hemibeep]

A few observations, as my friend 5 houses down had a similar break in.

-they just simply pried open the side door. A very weak point. I added 3" long barrel bolts to the bottom of the door.

-alarm system on house helps,,,IF someone hears it.

-they have battery cutoff switches to totally disconnect battery.

-in my friends instance, they caught the ********...as much as everyone thought they knew who did it, it was a ring of thieves that stole both cars and home items. It was a random act.

It ***** what happened, but don't let it make you paranoid to enjoy your car.

 

[Warfang]

What is in the back of my mind is that I mentioned moving out here on a Mopar site. How can thieves find out that the car was here in one day in the open in the driveway, that really does surprise me.

I worry about exposing any information whatsoever now, I now suspect these guys lurk our sites, is that being paranoid?

NO.

NEVER give out personal info on the web or ANY forum site. Including this one. Most folks here are fine people, but it only takes one to rob you or worse.

 

[DanAuito]

Dogs are a thieves worst enemy! Sorry to hear this. At least they didn't get it, this time.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Do your own investigation, find them and kill them. Thieves and murderers should be removed from this world.

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

This is really going to sound silly, but I always do it. It takes 5 seconds to stick a tire iron though one of the holes in the garage door track right above one of the rollers. The big door ain't coming up with that in the track. Door opener or not, locks or not, alarms or not. Always makes me sleep better.

 

[IEATVETS]

That really sux! We are having an alarm system put in at the end of the month. But like Devildog said, if that doesn't do it, the nickel plated .45 in my night stand next to the bed will be my equalizer.

 

[02ViperTodd]

I'm not gonna say it was any of your fault!! I never thought it would happen, my wife (being partically retired) came home with our kids...(pre Viper) saw that the Harley had been kicked over..went inside and found everything with change was busted..a $3500 camera still sitting on the kitchen counter...lots of expensive stuff lying around..didn't take any of it..looking for money for drugs..

I must say I was pissed for MONTHS!!! Just the fact that some SCUMBAG went thru all my [******]..and my 2 daughters..and my wifes...I wanted BLOOD!!!

COPS are like...non-caringly.."It happens everyday"...[******]???

basically, Dude..I feel your pain!!
Todd

 

[TSR6]

At an "UNDISCLOSED LOCATION" - the keys are locked away, and/or:

if you try what happened here, then you still have to get past the alarm system - with battery backup, hotwire the car, figure out how to open the show-room door ( doesn't take a genious... however in the dark, might take a minute ) - but then get past the garage door that is pad locked.

Only takes less than a minute to take a drill, a rather large drill bit, and drill a hole about 1/2 an inch above the rollers. The door isn't goin anywhere, even if the "bad guys" get inside. If you do it right, it would be a ***** to even get lock cutters on it.

 

[2000_Black_RT10]

Do your own investigation, find them and kill them. Thieves and murderers should be removed from this world.

You just made me laugh.

I'd really like to make a human trap out of the garage. Maybe a motorized steel cable which slams the garage door shut once they are inside, steel plates flip and lock over the windows and then gas them unconscious for some evil fun.

 

[V10SpeedLuvr]

Do your own investigation, find them and kill them. Thieves and murderers should be removed from this world.

That's the best advice in this thread. These days, the only way you get justice is vigilante style.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Do your own investigation, find them and kill them. Thieves and murderers should be removed from this world.

You just made me laugh.

I'd really like to make a human trap out of the garage. Maybe a motorized steel cable which slams the garage door shut once they are inside, steel plates flip and lock over the windows and then gas them unconscious for some evil fun.

Not a bad idea, but make sure you have a place to bury the bodies. If you're gonna do the justice system's job them it is best to do the mortician's job too.

 

[Daddy Long Stroke]

Screwed up thing is- you could probably catch them in your garage,ripping your ignition out, shoot them (of course, after you fear for your life ), and YOU would be going to jail!

Got to love our laws sometimes.

I also have to say that after reading this thread, my 9mm is feeling inadequate. I think I'm gana have to get a bigger gun!

 

[Andrew/USPWR]

Quote:

Quote:

Do your own investigation, find them and kill them. Thieves and murderers should be removed from this world.



You just made me laugh.

I'd really like to make a human trap out of the garage. Maybe a motorized steel cable which slams the garage door shut once they are inside, steel plates flip and lock over the windows and then gas them unconscious for some evil fun.




Not a bad idea, but make sure you have a place to bury the bodies. If you're gonna do the justice system's job them it is best to do the mortician's job too.
_____________________________________
Or find a pig farmer
******

Very sorry to hear about those dirt bags messing with your home & property.

I’ve had my home broken into twice and even when they didn’t steal anything, fixing all the crap they broke is a major irritation.
They came through my side garage door last time as well and I replaced it with a steel frame, warehouse door. I also put cameras all around the house and can monitor it from my office. If I catch one of these bastard they’ll be the one’s calling the police for help.



2005 Silver SRT/10
2000 Steel Gray GTS (sold)

 

[Warfang]

Screwed up thing is- you could probably catch them in your garage,ripping your ignition out, shoot them (of course, after you fear for your life ), and YOU would be going to jail!

Got to love our laws sometimes.

I also have to say that after reading this thread, my 9mm is feeling inadequate. I think I'm gana have to get a bigger gun!

First rule of entering a gunfight: Have a gun!

The 9mm is a fine round. There are defensive 9mm ammo that hit as hard as .357's. A hit with a 9 is better than a miss with a 50cal. The key is practice, practice, practice.

 

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

Sorry your property was violated!

Alarm the garage door and install a security camera(inside and outside) with a one week or month file storage. Get a good camera so it can show the face clearly as well as their car as they case your property.

Hope the thieves get nailed!

 

[Andrew/USPWR]

Also, Alarm your car, even in your garage.


Pay back?
Remember the car in "Christine" that killed the garage owner by locking the door and crushing the guy against the steering wheel? I want one of those theft deterrents installed in the Viper.






2005 Silver SRT/10
2000 Steel Gray GTS (sold)