Not a good night for Audi

[normski]

You will probably guess what I do for a living....

So far tonight three RS4's, a new S3 and an A3 3.2 quattro have been nicked during car key burglaries in my area, at least two of which the offenders of which were armed.

Happened to mention this to the Mrs on the phone, but added don't worry they don't often come down to our town honey so it will be ok for me to get an S3.

Half an hour later some scrotes break into a house down the road from us and demand the keys to the RS4 on the drive and away they go. Car was fitted with tracker but absolutely no trace of it yet!

Think that may curtail my hopes of an S3, and who can blame the Mrs really?

 

[emzino]

Wow what on earth is going on???

There obviously targetting these Audis but why... hmm. I mean of course Audis are Audis and there especially going for the high range models too but whats the motive, that's what's getting me.

Think i'll leave the detective work to the Police heh.

Anywho, just be careful mate and make sure you got a weapon handy. eBay some pepper spray?

Btw, what area are you in?

 

[normski]

Just south of Birmingham.

Low and behold, about an hour after I typed this another one went!

Someone is taking the michael.

 

[OutLore]

Those cars will be outta the country by now... or have new plates and new identities...

You will never stop professional car thieves. (Although getting the keys with a gun is not proffesional at all.)

 

[TDI-line]

I'll stick to my tdi's then.

Real shame though, thieving scum.

 

[normski]

To be fair, the majority of the RS4's and S3's that go tend to be used in armed blaggings until they get damaged, then they get dropped. Sometimes some of the gangs have quite a few that they garage here and there and bring them out every so often. Quite often a car gets used for a couple of jobs, disappears and then pops its head up again a few months later.

Get the feeling the RS4 that went from down the road may go for ringing tho' judging by what the offenders turned up in.

 

[Vertigo1]

Erm, can you define "Just south of Birmingham" please? I'm in Hall Green (Shirley end of it).

Is it just the more powerful petrol models that are going? Is my lowly TDI S-Line safe?

 

[C_Audiboy]

****** hell this is scary stuff! You hear about one or 2 of these incidents every so often but all this in one night.... not good.

Just goes to show if these folks want your car they are gonna get it.

No-one hurt I hope?

 

[normski]

Not that I know of, but obviously a few shook up people.

Generally, most people hand over the keys or the offenders find them in the house with no trouble.

It is quite rare in our neck of the woods that anyone resists or the offenders get too carried way, but it happens on occasion. Thankfully not too often.

 

[MarcQuinlivan]

 

[C_Audiboy]

You've gotta wonder how they get the locations of all these RS4s and S3s. This sounds like the same group of people hitting all these homes at the same time. I can't see them just driving around and 'noticing' these cars and deciding to go and get them. They must have some inside info from a dealer or something as to the location of these cars.....

 

[benw123]

I wonder if it's the parts they want. Years ago I used to work for a company that provided software systems to the motor trade. One of our dealers had set up a new site in Maidenhead to sell some premium cars, and one night - after a suspected collaboration with a security guard - 14 cars went AWOL.

Amazingly, the police recovered all of them - they were stored in lock-ups all over north London. It was understood that a "hit squad" of breakers was to move from car to car salvaging parts into vans and then selling them on.

Either way, it's worrying stuff, particularly if they were armed. Car security is now so strong these days that we take it for granted. But that might mean the crooks come after owners for their keys with full force.

 

[MarcQuinlivan]

 

[Vertigo1]

Crazily, you see the police/government/whoever giving out advice not to leave your car keys in an easily accessible place such as on a table in the hall or worse, on view from outside the front door.

TBH, if someone (possibly armed) is prepared to kick in your front door to find the keys, I'd rather they found them immediately than threatened you or or family for them.

 

[TTLAW]

We had the bxxtards take a window out at the front of the house Monday night of this week. Police said they were after the S3. It must have took them ages to pick away the putty from the windows. They must have been disturbed as they left with nothing.

Investing in CCTV system now.

Steve

 

[h5djr]

My wife and I take our car/house keys upstairs and put them in our bedroom at night. I'm beginning to wonder if that is such a good idea. At least my car is only a 2.0TDI so is less 'desirable' than an S3 and it's always in my garage overnight so at least it's not out on show.

 

[Vertigo1]

As I said Dave, if someone is prepared to break into your house at night to steal the keys there's a very good chance they'll come upstairs and threaten you for them, do you really want that? Much as we don't want our cars pinched, I'd rather they just took the keys and left.

 

[Chins]

We had the bxxtards take a window out at the front of the house Monday night of this week. Police said they were after the S3. It must have took them ages to pick away the putty from the windows. They must have been disturbed as they left with nothing.

Investing in CCTV system now.

Steve

Looks like a debaged Audi could be in order.

Anyone got a part number for a 1.6 badge.

 

[jojo]

Erm, can you define "Just south of Birmingham" please? I'm in Hall Green (Shirley end of it).

Is it just the more powerful petrol models that are going? Is my lowly TDI S-Line safe?

Can you elaborate on 'South of Birmingham' please, I'm in solihull, which is very south of Brum, and my car is sitting outside!

 

[Amchlolor]

They wouldn't need a gun to get my motor.
They'd only have to ask and I'd wave them off as well.
I'd have to remind them it'd need oil long before it reached a container port though.

 

[DPM]

They wouldn't need a gun to get my motor.
They'd only have to ask and I'd wave them off as well.
I'd have to remind them it'd need oil long before it reached a container port though.

 

[C_Audiboy]

They wouldn't need a gun to get my motor.
They'd only have to ask and I'd wave them off as well.
I'd have to remind them it'd need oil long before it reached a container port though.

I'm sure that could be arranged!!

Much to your delight Bowfer

 

[benw123]

Perhaps more worrying is how the thieves (or potential thieves) are locating these models. I'm sure if they scouted round a nice housing estate, they might find some nice cars sitting on driveways, but I wonder if people are actually being followed home??? Scary thought.

 

[C_Audiboy]

Perhaps more worrying is how the thieves (or potential thieves) are locating these models. I'm sure if they scouted round a nice housing estate, they might find some nice cars sitting on driveways, but I wonder if people are actually being followed home??? Scary thought.

Yeah that's what I've been thinking about. Or they've got access to an Audi customer database somehow, or have contacts working at a dealership who can provide addresses.

Certainly makes you wonder!

I wonder how many of these stolen cars were garaged?

 

[normski]

Can you elaborate on 'South of Birmingham' please, I'm in solihull, which is very south of Brum, and my car is sitting outside!

Sorry for slow reply, been in bed as I was on nights (obviously).

I live down the road from you in Stratford-upon-Avon.

The first two RS4's went from Redditch, the S3 and A3 3.2 from the same house in Solihull and the last RS4 from Stratford.

The Stratford one was a brand new 07 RS4 in sprint blue sat on the owners drive next to his wife's TT on a new estate.

Bit of advertising unfortunately for him.

 

[mark88]

IMO one of the biggest causes of car crime is that no-one puts their car in the garage anymore. How many people here have recently built homes? You have zero chance of fitting any car on the market inside the pee wee single garages.

 

[Amchlolor]

Perhaps more worrying is how the thieves (or potential thieves) are locating these models. I'm sure if they scouted round a nice housing estate, they might find some nice cars sitting on driveways, but I wonder if people are actually being followed home??? Scary thought.

The 'follow home' has been going on with motorbikes in the Aberdeen area for some time now.
I haven't heard of anyone actually being 'held up' when they get home,but the bikes are gone by morning.

 

[cjp2k]

IMO one of the biggest causes of car crime is that no-one puts their car in the garage anymore. How many people here have recently built homes? You have zero chance of fitting any car on the market inside the pee wee single garages.

We live in a newish build (10 year old) and we strugle to get my mums Fiesta into the garage, never mind my A3 Sportback,

Hope my cars going to be ok on a night..I know its only a 2.0TDI (140) but still dont want some scrote taking it

Chris

 

[Amchlolor]

IMO one of the biggest causes of car crime is that no-one puts their car in the garage anymore. How many people here have recently built homes? You have zero chance of fitting any car on the market inside the pee wee single garages.

All a garage does is hide the car from opportunist thieves.
Determined thieves aren't going to be detracted by it.
Have you seen what actually keeps the average garage door closed ?
It's a piece of cheap metal that springs into a little hole in a bracket made of equally cheap metal.
You can,of course,buy ground anchors that secure the door better.

I've never bothered with excessive security for cars or bikes.
I don't see the point.
They hold no sentiment for me,they're easily replaced.
Easy for me to say though,when I live in a very low risk postcode.

 

[Amchlolor]

We live in a newish build (10 year old) and we strugle to get my mums Fiesta into the garage, never mind my A3 Sportback,

My house is 8 years old.
We've had an A4,A3,Honda HRV and Clio in it at some point (not at the same time,obviously).
The bloke across the road gets his Porsche Jeep thing (Cayenne?) into a garage of identical proportions.
Knowing the builder that did them,I can't see our garages being anything other than the 'norm'.
I have no reason to suspect they're 'generous'.
Is there an 'industry standard' size for garages ???

 

[cjp2k]

My house is 8 years old.
We've had an A4,A3,Honda HRV and Clio in it at some point (not at the same time,obviously).
The bloke across the road gets his Porsche Jeep thing (Cayenne?) into a garage of identical proportions.
Knowing the builder that did them,I can't see our garages being anything other than the 'norm'.
I have no reason to suspect they're 'generous'.
Is there an 'industry standard' size for garages ???

Well I am going to give it a go tonight... lets see what happens

 

[normski]

I am not being flash, just for illustration purposes:

Live on an estate of 6 houses on a private drive, and the parking for my house and the double garage are at the rear.

Unless some cheeky herbert on a recce drives down the close, he won't see the car on offer.

I expect that if my S3 goes it will be because I have been followed home and they know its there.

So my worry is simple:

If I garage the car, they will know it is there and turn my house over for the keys.

If the car isn't there because I am on nights then they will still turn over my house for the keys and then find the garage empty.

If I take the Mrs' car to work on nights she will get turned over without me and I won't even get the chance to hurt one of them.

If I leave it on the drive (my current insurer doesn't discount for garaging it) they will still turn over my house.

The upshot, once they know I have got it, they will turn my house over whether it is there or not.

Pretty disturbing quandry.

 

[cdb2]

New single garages do seem to vary quite a bit in width. Mine is 14 yrs old and my parents' is 5 years old so both quite new. His is 6 inches wider in total. With the mirrors out I have less than 1 inch on either side so specified folding mirrors which help - can still be tricky to get out of the car but have carpet all up the wall to protect the door.

I was originally having a Merc C Sport Coupe but couldn't physically get out the car when it was in the garage, combination of door length and position of Sports seats - couldn't put my foot out the door and onto the floor unless I pushed the seat all the way back. Good job I tried it on the test drive!

Double garage next time me thinks.

 

[HeliChris]

Bit of advertising unfortunately for him.

[RANT MODE]

I am not a fan of statements like that.

It’s almost like we are trying to blame them for achieving in life, and being able to have a new RS4 and TT on their drive, it’s their fault the car was nicked, because if they did not have it the crime would not have been committed.

I agree leaving items on display in cars is asking for trouble, but parking a car on your drive being classed as advertising.

It’s like the adverts the government run that advert say “don’t advertise your mobile phone to thieves”, how many phones don’t light up when you use them, what’s the point in having a phone if you can’t use it, how many people would be in a pub without a mobile.

Societies scum will steal, and its governments job to keep scum to a minimum within society. Its not governments job to blame society for the scum.

[/RANT MODE]

 

[silver75]

lol

 

[normski]

Almost sounds like you are having a pop, but I won't rise M8 in case you weren't.

Did I blame the poor chap, NO
Did I suggest he shouldn't be lucky enough to have such a nice car, NO
Did I make any opinion as to how he chose to park his car, NO

The car was on show for people to notice, plain and simple. That is his choice and his alone, and it probably never even occurred to him that this type of vehicle gets nicked alot. It would be lovely to still be that innocent in my way of thinking.

Quite simply, as per my original statement, the car was advertised to the potential RS4 thief as being there, and I feel sorry for the bloke.

 

[JamS3]

Yes that is the sad fact of life but unfortunately WE have to do things to minimise the risk, and I'm sorry but if i had cars like that and a garage there is no way I would leave them outside on the drive! That could even be viewed as being lazy!

When i come in knackered from work in the early hours of the morning I start moving cars round from the drive putting mine away from prying eyes and the girlfriends polo up against the door. Might p*ss a few people off in the street with the noise (if any) but I don't care if it keeps my car safe!

 

[silver75]

Exactly its no coincedence that you see people with double garages leaving their porkers on the drive either


EDIT: Not that I am suggesting that the the guy who got his cars nicked was showing off

 

[JamS3]

Exactly why should he want to show off during the night when everyone is in bed?

He/She will have the daytime for that ha ha!

THAT WAS A JOKE!!

 

[Just Plain Old]

You're all looking at it with the usual 'defeatist' attitude, brought about by the Government brainwashing you into believing that whatever crime may befall you it's your fault because you must have done something 'wrong'............ Not me.

What is wrong in this Country is that the 'rule of law' has broken down, and these scum have no fear of the consequences of, (in the unlikely event that it may happen) being caught!

Therefore the only solution to this, and many other problems, is the restoration of the 'rule of law',,,,,,, not locking your car in the garage.......

And we all know my Political preferance for doing that!!