Landrover anti-theft issue

[popotla]

On my Defender I at present have the following security measures installed: Meck Lock; electrical cut-out (in the form of a battery isolator switch); full metal jacket; heavy chain and padlock between floor and steering wheel.

With the exception of the chain and possibly the FMJ (depending on lighting conditions), these are not visible deterrents. Thus I am thinking of adding something very visible, i.e. a steering wheel lock.

I know that steering wheel locks are mostly (or perhaps entirely) no obstacle to the determined thief (for example, it has been said on this forum, I think, that the Disc Lock can be undone in 15 seconds). Nonetheless, I think a steering wheel lock would be worth having as a first line of defence (as far as protection inside the vehicle goes). Which is the strongest / best/ most secure sreering wheel lock? Please bear in mind that it has to be one that the chain and padlock won’t get in the way of.

[djhampson]

A flashing red light is a good deterent. Make it nice and visible in the dash somewhere. Add a couple of stickers saying this car is protected by an alarm.

[Quiggers]

Given you have so many security devices, but want more, may I suggest a large dog (rottweiler etc) or a snake?

Snakes are very cool.....

[abaddonxi]

If you're worried about it getting pinched, as OI said, leave the transfer case in neutral.

I live in one of the worst streets for car theft in Sydney, five of mine stolen, and none of them was a Land Rover. My Defender/120" have never been broken into or stolen. Subarus or Datsun 510, another story altogether.

Cheers
Simon

[JDNSW]

You don't say where you live, or whether you have any special reason to expect someone to want to steal it. In Australia large four wheel drives are at the bottom of the list for theft, and Defenders and Series Landrovers would be a bad last within that group. As Simon says, just leave it in neutral in the transfer case.

Theft from within the vehicle is a different situation, and if there looks to be anything worth stealing, expect a broken window if you park in some areas - but no sort of lock will stop that, although an alarm might help.

John

[DeeJay]

Pity I never took a photo of it, but my series 3 stage 1 had one of those long padlocks and I padlocked the gear lever in 1st gear to a bracket I made on the dash:p
Ok you could have unscrewed the gear knob but I think your average joyrider would not have the intelligence to think of that ( I wont say how long after I fitted it I thought of that one:angel:)
It was as good a visual as a steering lock- and quicker & cheaper..

[Captain_Rightfoot]

You don't say where you live, or whether you have any special reason to expect someone to want to steal it. In Australia large four wheel drives are at the bottom of the list for theft, and Defenders and Series Landrovers would be a bad last within that group. As Simon says, just leave it in neutral in the transfer case.

Theft from within the vehicle is a different situation, and if there looks to be anything worth stealing, expect a broken window if you park in some areas - but no sort of lock will stop that, although an alarm might help.

John
I would think a Defender would be hard to dispose of given their small numbers and the community around them.

[dlatn]

For no expense I have long enjoyed the passive security system that provides me with piece of mind and allows me to leave my vehicle unattended with keys in ignition, windows down, and doors unlocked. Offered as a standard option on all Landrover models since the series 2, the Mobile Oil Stain 3 System (MOS3S) is effective at detering thieves wary by way of threatening exorbitant maintenance costs. With this system embedded into the vehicles design, and combined with the world beating reliability, dealer service, and resale value that only Landrover offers, no self respecting thief would ever consider stealing my vehicle.

[abaddonxi]

For no expense I have long enjoyed the passive security system that provides me with piece of mind and allows me to leave my vehicle unattended with keys in ignition, windows down, and doors unlocked. Offered as a standard option on all Landrover models since the series 2, the Mobile Oil Stain 3 System (MOS3S) is effective at detering thieves wary by way of threatening exorbitant maintenance costs. With this system embedded into the vehicles design, and combined with the world beating reliability, dealer service, and resale value that only Landrover offers, no self respecting thief would ever consider stealing my vehicle.

But what does that make us?:D

Simon

[waynep]

I know that steering wheel locks are mostly (or perhaps entirely) no obstacle to the determined thief (for example, it has been said on this forum, I think, that the Disc Lock can be undone in 15 seconds). Nonetheless, I think a steering wheel lock would be worth having as a first line of defence (as far as protection inside the vehicle goes). Which is the strongest / best/ most secure sreering wheel lock? Please bear in mind that it has to be one that the chain and padlock won’t get in the way of.

It's not the stregth of the steering lock it's the strength of the steering wheel that counts. ;)

[mark2]

It's not the stregth of the steering lock it's the strength of the steering wheel that counts. ;)

Thats it, most wheels only have a thin band of mild steel inside the plastic/rubber by design so they have some 'give' in an accident.

A short pair of bolt cutters, one quick snip of the wheel and the steering lock is off in about 5 seconds flat, no matter how good the lock.

Cheaper locks can also be quickly removed with a 12" long piece of pipe to bend the tangs which engage the wheel.

I reckon you have enough measures as it is and as others have said, Land Rovers are at the bottom of the list anyway.

To avoid glass breakage from interior theft, the best way is probably to leave the windows open ........

[scarry]

But what does that make us?:D

Simon


Mugs..........:D:D:D:D:D:D:p



But we just love them dont we:BigThumb:

[garryseries3]

Just a thought why not fit a removable steerinf wheel, you see them advertised for landys. She won't be going anywhwere with out it, take it out problem solved

[JDNSW]

I would think a Defender would be hard to dispose of given their small numbers and the community around them.

Yes, and also sufficiently rare and conspicuous that the thief is very likely to be spotted.

Also, demand for vehicles and parts is not sufficient to be attractive to would be rebirthers and parts suppliers, but they are not rare enough or desirable enough that enthusiasts are likely to steal them for parts. (I have heard of a case in the US where a man had the front seats stolen out of his Saab - when the insurance company found out the cost of replacement seats, they wrote it off - which suggests a reason for the theft!)

And their performance is not sufficient to attract joyriders.

John

[87County]

..............To avoid glass breakage from interior theft, the best way is probably to leave the windows open ........


not a bad idea but apparently actually illegal in NSW (must lock empty vehicles?).... when the rule came in I was driving an ex-army S3 with rag top and door tops removed (summertime), it threw one enthusiatic law keeper who insisted I had to keep the door tops fitted... I didn't and fortunately there was no follow-up.... I just avoided parking near the copshop when in town :)

[DeeJay]

And their performance is not sufficient to attract joyriders.

John

Early Rangies & the odd Landie were popular- especially in England with ramraiders
Easy to steal & I saw a video of a landie reversed into a bottle shop & loaded up.
The use of bollards. high brickwork, etc seems to have killed off this type of crime.
But you are right, there are less obvious vehicles that are just as easy to pinch. We lost a Ford Escort, steering wheel locked too ( and the dog barked at them).
David

[rovercare]

Wow:eek:, that's alot of theft prevention

How about parking it in a bomb shelter and a tin foil hat for yourself:p

2 sorts of thieves, oppotunist....you've well and truely covered them and the smart ones, who'll take it anyway;)

[mcrover]

You put up a fence then theives will want to have whats behind it.

You padlock something, thieves want it.

You put a blue healer in it and no body will get within 6 feet of it, espesially if the window is down just low enough for him to get out.

:p

[JDNSW]

Early Rangies & the odd Landie were popular- especially in England with ramraiders..........
David

This is not England! The big difference is that there Landrovers are relatively common, not distinctive and lots of people have experience driving them. Here, they are rare, distinctive, and few people have any experience driving them.

John

[dullbird]

You put up a fence then theives will want to have whats behind it.

You padlock something, thieves want it.

You put a blue healer in it and no body will get within 6 feet of it, espesially if the window is down just low enough for him to get out.

:p

yes they would the police and the rspca for instance ;)

[malleefowl]

I have a little gizmo made of a piece of square tube large enough to fit over the clutch pedal.it slides on via a split and sits firmly on the floor.the top of the tube is sealed .Two holes underneath allow a tractor 3pl pin to slide under the pedal an a padlock secures the pin.It's not an easy spot to open the lock and bolt cutters just won't fit.
You might be able to start it but you get one hellava surprise when you select a gear!

[popotla]

One or two posters asked where I live. I am in Oman (where security is hardly an issue) and am preparing the vehicle for a long overland trip through Asia, Europe and the Americas, originating here.

In my op I stuck to internal security measures. I also already have some window grilles and will have a complete set, as well as good door locks.

(So if someone would like to make suggestions about mortice locks, which I have in mind, I'd be grateful.

I thought of the Rottweiler, btw, but figured he/she might not like crossing all those borders.

[easo]

I have my computer wired into a cut off switch. A boat switch. Big red thing. You can remove the switch and when you turn it off then on it only zeros the trip metre.

Easo

[mcrover]

yes they would the police and the rspca for instance ;)

My point being that there is no passive anti theft device that would work if someone really wants the car and no amount of paranoia will change that.

A blue healer (well trained and happy) is an active anti theft device much like an alarm activated mace or smoke bomb.

[JDNSW]

.......

(So if someone would like to make suggestions about mortice locks, which I have in mind, I'd be grateful.
.......

One of the real security weaknesses with Defenders is the bolt on hinges. However, it is worth pointing out that if you attach solid pins to the door so that they overlap the door frame when the door is closed, they make removing the hinges to get in useless. One pin about 10mm diameter behind each hinge should work. Ideally put through the frame of the door and welded. It would work equally on the rear door and the bonnet as well as the side doors.

John

[mox]

Glad I live well away from the road down a dead end with one way in except through paddocks so keys usually left in vehicle. Would prefer to leave it in local town with keys in than locked in main regional centre though.

Something I have noticed advertised in pommy LR magazines: Apparently over there the problem of vehicle theft from owners starting vehicle on cold mornings, then going back in the house while it demists is so bad that some insurance companies will not pay claims if someone jumps in and drives them off. A way of stopping them with manual transmission and hydraulically operated clutch is instal a lockable one way valve in the line. Opportunistic thieves cannot go anywhere if they push the clutch in and it will not come out again until the valve is unlocked with key.

Another story I heard once - from a cop too, about a mad mate of his in Melbourne. Don't know what sort of car, but he installed a steering box that fitted in but was geared the opposite way. ie had to turn left to go right and vica versa. Used to leave it parked everywhere with the keys in it. One day it got pinched, probably by joyriders and was abandoned a short distance away.

Some drivers would get used to this quickly but others never would. (eg worse than driving left hand drive vehicles on left side of road, which I am used to after years of harvest contracting with header that is also over width, steers with the back wheels and often with long comb trailer behind.)
So unusual that there is probably presently no law to stop anyone having an "**** about" steering box though.

Mick

[scarry]

I recon you have got it all sorted,but you could do this if you wanted to as a back up.


Before our work vans came with the remote electronic alarms ,we used to do this to them,as they were loaded with tools,etc.
Dunno how a deefer is wired,but presumably it has a door switch on each door that operates common interior lights?
We used to fit a waterproof toggle switch outside the vehicle in a place not real visible,such as in the front bumper,but easy to access.

We would wire a hold in relay to the common wire that goes from any light swich to the interior light.The relay would be wired to a loud 12volt horn.Therefore,if toggle switch was on,and any door was opened,relay would be energised & horn would sound.Relay would also be wired so if door was then shut,horn would still sound.

The only problem with this is if the thieves disconnected the battery,alarm would stop.If you were real keen you could use a small back up battery for the alarm horn & relay.
In the vans they have an advantage with the battery difficult to access,as it is under the seat and a pain to get to,although you could possibly reach it from underneath if you knew what wire to cut.
The advantage of this systm is that it is a one of,and even a pro thief would get a surprise and may not know how to disable it quickly.

This system would not make the vehicle unable to be driven,but as said,i dont think to many deefers would be on car thieves have to have lists.They are more likely to want something they can see through a window,and smash the glass,as happened to my brothers '93 disco recently in a national park parking area.All they got was an empty duffle bag.:mad:

I also recon if they really want something they will eventually get it.An easy way is to burgle a house & get the keys,& away you go,as they did to a mates LC100.:mad:

[George130]

I would be more worried about bolt on accessories like spoties and arieals.

Used to have a car with an alarm that transmitted a signal to a receiver. After a month friends leared that all they had to do to find me was hit the car near the hinges to set it off and I would cometo them:mad:.

[abaddonxi]

<snip>

(So if someone would like to make suggestions about mortice locks, which I have in mind, I'd be grateful.
<snip>

I'd be worried about house door locks being shaken so much that they'd stick shut. The movement of the door to the frame would particularly concern me.

The combination of window bars and self locking door could be embarrassing.

I've seen window/sliding door locks used, which are solid and simple, but I doubt the lock barrels are up to much more than standard Defender barrels.

Cheers
Simon

[abaddonxi]

And just to confirm my earlier post, Subaru and new 110 were parked out the front of our house, Subaru locked, 110 unlocked.

Guess which one was broken into?

Cheers
Simon

[mcrover]

Basically all you need is deterants as you will be driving through countries that are full of opertunist thieves which are quite ingenius in what they do but if it looks to be too hard they probably wont try.

Alarms and such wont work as if an alarm goes off it just alerts all the other theives there that there is a car open with something of value in it so you will get there to find your car stripped in the few miniutes it takes you to get there.

When we used to build canopies for tradies we fitted mesh cages to the windows, sometimes we used the glass with the wire mesh in it which stops them from doing a smash and grab and seems it's a fender then you wont have trouble with using it for the rear side and rear windows,

For the wind down windows and windscreen you could make removeable panels like you use on an excavator which could double for use as sand laddes/panels if joined together, out of aluminium

You just need a sheet with some slots cut in and some tags bolted to the body to take a pad lock.

If you have tags on the A B and C pillars on both sides you could either have one big one for each side or 2 smaller ones and over lap them on the B pillar.

The windscreen would probably be best to keep as one sheet.

I recon that would be the best protection for that sort of area but even better would be to stay with the vehicle or leave it with people who you trust as, as I have said before, a passive system is only a deterant and will not stop a determined thief.

[rovercare]

And just to confirm my earlier post, Subaru and new 110 were parked out the front of our house, Subaru locked, 110 unlocked.

Guess which one was broken into?

Cheers
Simon

The answer is obvious, the 110 wasn't locked, say they merely had to open the door:D

[mcrover]

And just to confirm my earlier post, Subaru and new 110 were parked out the front of our house, Subaru locked, 110 unlocked.

Guess which one was broken into?

Cheers
Simon

Of course they took the Subaru.

They teach how to steel a Subaru/WRX at all Sydney high schools these days don't they?

A Subaru is like a Bic lighter, they are almost communal

[abaddonxi]

Didn't touch the 110, rifled the Subaru.

I disturbed them at it by turning on the bathroom light.

They're getting better at it, these days they go straight through the locks without damaging them. More than once I've walked out to the car in the morning to find it open and assumed I've left it unlocked.

It makes all of those insurance questions a bit redundant, though. They always make me feel like a complete idiot because the locks aren't damaged, so I must have left it unlocked.

Nothing stolen, we don't leave good stuff in the car, and somehow cassette players aren't really sought after anymore.

Cheers
Simon

[rovercare]

Didn't touch the 110, rifled the Subaru.


Cheers
Simon

I was more saying you can't "break in" if its open;)

[abaddonxi]

I was more saying you can't "break in" if its open;)

Ah, it's Sunday, I've been lifting things.

[Freewheeler]

When you have a real Land Rover, like a series 1 or early Series 2, (not these late model plastic imitations) there is really no problem. Firstly no one wants to steal them any way, and secondly all you have to do is pull out the pinch bolt from the base of the steering wheel, remove the steering wheel and take it with you. Makes it bloody hard to drive.
Only drawback is you cant put it in your pocket like a set of keys.;)

[disco2hse]

One or two posters asked where I live. I am in Oman (where security is hardly an issue) and am preparing the vehicle for a long overland trip through Asia, Europe and the Americas, originating here.

In my op I stuck to internal security measures. I also already have some window grilles and will have a complete set, as well as good door locks.

(So if someone would like to make suggestions about mortice locks, which I have in mind, I'd be grateful.

I thought of the Rottweiler, btw, but figured he/she might not like crossing all those borders.

Now I understand your concern. But, in the end it matters little what you do, if they are determined they will still get in.

On my series, until a couple of weeks ago I had the best deterrent of them all. No door locks, just the empty barrels which could be opened with anything. Thieves expected to find a lock and were confounded when there was nothing there to break (considering the doors were still locked). I overheard a couple of toe rags discussing what to do and then give up.

In terms of other mechanisms, I have a kill switch. The spark is controlled on mine with an electrical noise suppression unit thingy (it's ex-army) and built into this is a simple wire that when disconnected kills all electrics to the engine. It is very discreet and unless a person knew what to look for, they would be unlikely to notice it.

Also, I have a steering lock on the steering wheel. Bit pointless really since the wheel can be easily unbolted and replaced with a crescent or something, but it is another deterrent nevertheless.

But I would think that since your concerns also include how to keep valuables safe, to which the only thing I can think of is to construct appropriately sized strong boxes and have them attached (welded?) to the chassis rather than the body work.

About locks, have you looked at the ranges of marine door and cabinet locks? They can be made very strong and could be adapted to your needs. Also, the metal quality will be high so you have little concern about them corroding provided you get good quality gear.

Alan