Just had my S4 Avant stolen

paranoidsystems

paranoidsystems

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came out this morning and my Avant was gone. just a tiny bit of broken glass. I assume there is tech out there to quickly steal these? It was on my drive. In a quite cul de sac (dead end). No one heard a thing. So I can only assume the alarm went off for a few seconds.

I parked it up at 17:00 on my drive when I got home and went out at 9:00 this morning to find a little bit of glass and no car. I am a not afraid to say I was so upset I cried a little. I saved up and hunted for the perfect car back in December. 2011 S4 Avant. Only 43,000 miles on the clock. Brilliant White. I had upgrade the navigation to RS nav 10.1 inch unit (tried to track that this morning but it's showing as powered down). I really wish I installed a propper sat tracker. I think it's the nicest thing I have ever owned. I know it's just a car but it really made me feel special. I only use it for social things because I live a couple of hundred meters from my office.

Anyone else had a S4 stolen like this? They must have disabled it in seconds. No one remembers hearing a thing. Couple of the houses up the street have CCTV so I will see what they got. Not even sure if I would want the car back now. I mean if they could steal it that easily then the same people might steal it again.

I really thought my English town was pretty safe (market Harborough is where the car was). I just feel totally drained. Never had a car stolen before. Someone at my office says it sounds ilke it might have been "stolen to order". Makes me even more sick to think someone was targeting me. Atleast no one was hurt and I guess "it's only a car" but it was much more than that too me.


Just really wanted to talk to some people that would share my pain. I think alot of people in car clubs and forums have a love for thier car as more than just a machine that does a job.
 
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Really sorry to hear buddy, I believe the good thing that came out of it is that you and family are safe. High end "performance" car stealing is getting very common these days especially the RS, the AMGs and the MPowers.

It really annoys me and makes you question the kind moral values we have left in our society. People can't see others progress, flourish or even have nice things in life - what a sad world it is turning out to be.
 
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At least like you say no one was hurt. I am just amazed at how quietly they got away with my car. Really disappointing that there are so many car stealing scumbags out there. Makes you really question getting nice things for yourself.
 
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I agree mate - it might be that they didn't start the car until they either moved couple of houses down the road or end of the road. If you read the internet, car theft has increased recently especially with the keyless entry technology that has been introduced.

I am sure you have already let your insurers know - fingers crossed as I am sure it will get resolved quickly.
 
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I am genuinely really sorry for you.

But I'm guessing you did nothing to protect your car other than lock it.



For others on here who read this.

Get your OBD port secured! Get a steering wheel lock!

Do something, or lose your car.
 
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Tashfeen said:
car theft has increased recently especially with the keyless entry technology that has been introduced.
Click to expand...

A keyless car only means they don't need to smash the glass and plug in a unit that disables the alarm and then starts the car. An automatic centre punch does the window in 3 seconds and isn't that loud. The time taken to steal the car is about the same for both methods.

Glass smashed, OBD port accessed and drive off is 2mins or less with 1 person.

Find key signal in house and relay signal to person by the car is 2mins with 2 people.









These are the methods employed and are so easy to discourage.

Keyless car, put your key in a pouch.

Secure your OBD port and get a visual deterrent, steering lock, shotgun owners sticker, big dog lives here sign.

Don't mean to sound harsh and I am truly sorry for somebody who has their car stolen but you need to take steps to stop it.
 
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MuPPeT_ON_TouR said:
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/323678682885

At the least.
Click to expand...


For sure the next car I will be at the very least doing this. I wish I had done some research and realised these things suffer from port attacks. I have RS-NAV unit in the car and that looks to have not been on since last night. I was hoping that it would update on the android find my phone thing. Unfortunately in Google’s efforts not to record too much personal info they no long show the “last location” only the last date (and not time). The one time I want our corporate overlords to track everything I do and they haven’t.
 
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Really sorry to hear about this. Id be gutted if someone were to take my car :blue:

You mention that it was pretty much social use only, and that you live in a dead-end street.

I can only assume that someone spotted the car when you were out and about and followed you home as its unlikely to be a random theft.

You need to stay aware when driving an attractive car, to any unusual cars following you. If I spot any unusual activity, I usually detour and see if they continue to follow just in case.

Its always worth walking part of the route into your street to see if there is any CCTV on the way - either in someones driveway, or shop/garage etc. Do any neighbours cars have dashcams? (A lot record in parking mode these days)

As they broke into the car it was likely to be theft via the OBDs port as others have said.

As you have been unable to track it via your satnav unit, it may be parked up somewhere - where the thieves are waiting to se if it is actually tracked, before returning to it later. Worth posting some pictures and reg numbers so people can keep an eye out, just in case.

There are a couple of Twitter accounts that are worth posting onto - @stolenwheels and @findmywheels

Good Luck....
 
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Probably nothing I can say will make you feel better, but really sorry to hear this mate.
As mentioned, as long as nobody was hurt in the process, that lump of metal (albeit precious to most of us) can be replaced.
Hope the scum get what's due to them.
 
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These thieves are well versed in taking your pride and joy I would imagine they'd bin that, keyless car thefts have been on the mainstream news for a while and sadly I've been a victim of having a pile of glass instead of a car there,a steering wheel lock and something like Autowatch Ghost aftermarket immobiliser will keep it in your possession.
Mine was taken late March just found recently in South Yorkshire with no update on the state of it, insurance paid up in two weeks.
 
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Audi Bairn said:
Probably nothing I can say will make you feel better, but really sorry to hear this mate.
As mentioned, as long as nobody was hurt in the process, that lump of metal (albeit precious to most of us) can be replaced.
Hope the scum get what's due to them.
Click to expand...

more than anything I want the prats caught. Makes me sick to think someone was targeting me and my family.
 
RAF_S7 said:
Really sorry to hear about this. Id be gutted if someone were to take my car :blue:

You mention that it was pretty much social use only, and that you live in a dead-end street.

I can only assume that someone spotted the car when you were out and about and followed you home as its unlikely to be a random theft.

You need to stay aware when driving an attractive car, to any unusual cars following you. If I spot any unusual activity, I usually detour and see if they continue to follow just in case.

Its always worth walking part of the route into your street to see if there is any CCTV on the way - either in someones driveway, or shop/garage etc. Do any neighbours cars have dashcams? (A lot record in parking mode these days)

As they broke into the car it was likely to be theft via the OBDs port as others have said.

As you have been unable to track it via your satnav unit, it may be parked up somewhere - where the thieves are waiting to se if it is actually tracked, before returning to it later. Worth posting some pictures and reg numbers so people can keep an eye out, just in case.

There are a couple of Twitter accounts that are worth posting onto - @stolenwheels and @findmywheels

Good Luck....
Click to expand...

I walked it at lunch and there is a couple of houses with CCTV so going to knock on their doors later this evening. I talked to the house next door and they heard nothing either. I am certain they broke the window and plugged into the port. The ironic thing I was actually looking at 24/7 GPS trackers for the car last night. I might have been looking at them as they stole my car. make me sick.

We have some businesses at the entrance to our estate so emailed them to see if they have cameras pointing to the entrance of the estate. I'll find some pics in a bit and I will tweet those as well. thanks for that.
 
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They turned the car on!!! I am live tracking it for the police right now!
 
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Ah man sorry this really sucks! I hope somehow you do get it back!

Just been reading the posts above about security and I'm definitely going to get more now Recently fitted a driveway external alarm sensor in case people come on the drive at night. Just a cheap Chinese box off Amazon called KERUI dw9 and stuck a timer on the plug so it doesn't go off during the day. Good shout on a steering wheel lock though!

Keep us posted!
 
rabhrab said:
O.K. guys, where would you suggest for the relocation position in our S4's?
Click to expand...
I would say you could cut in the can bus wife’s on the back of the port and put in a switch(or switches). Just leave it off when the car is not going to a garage or what ever. Then the odb port is basically dead unless someone knows where the switch is.
 
Stealing 2011 S4 still, when will my 2011 S4 be safe from them? Mine hides out of sight in a locked garage, and has a physical lock/block on the OBD2 port, and when out and about a DiskLok, it makes me feel deluded to be seen fitting that DiskLok, but again it seems I still have the right idea!
 
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rum4mo said:
Stealing 2011 S4 still, when will my 2011 S4 be safe from them? Mine hides out of sight in a locked garage, and has a physical lock/block on the OBD2 port, and when out and about a DiskLok, it makes me feel deluded to be seen fitting that DiskLok, but again it seems I still have the right idea!
Click to expand...

I wish I had a garage. And I wish I had a steering lock now.
 
Wow scary how easy it can be to get these things started! Sorry to hear about this!

I've never really considered that my 8yr old car is still a target for things like this but it really makes you think!
 
AndrewW said:
Wow scary how easy it can be to get these things started! Sorry to hear about this!

I've never really considered that my 8yr old car is still a target for things like this but it really makes you think!
Click to expand...

I thought the same thing. But clearly they are a target! One of the cops I spoke too said there has been a mad rush on stealing S4 in the last month. All the same thing. Shamed window and then stolen in 30 seconds :(


JG51 AUD said:
Gutted for you mate, hope they catch the bar stewards and they get what they deserve. :whip::whip::whip:

JG
Click to expand...

This is what I want now more than anything. Gutted that the police almost had them. If I hadn’t been stuck in a stupid automated press 1 for this press 2 for that for 11 mins I recon they would have caught them.
 
Sorry to hear it but sadly not suprised. Most modern VAG stuff is stupendously easy to steal & ends up in parts, for sale on eBay.

Lots of RHD performance german cars being broken for spares in Lithuania, does make you wonder eh....

Have a look at the Port of Dover Police facebook page, there forever finding stolen cars trying to be taken abroad.

Theres lots of stolen car group/pages on facebook, share it around on there with reg plate & location etc, hopefully someone might spot it parked up.
 
CarbonMike said:
Sorry to hear it but sadly not suprised. Most modern VAG stuff is stupendously easy to steal & ends up in parts, for sale on eBay.

Lots of RHD performance german cars being broken for spares in Lithuania, does make you wonder eh....

Have a look at the Port of Dover Police facebook page, there forever finding stolen cars trying to be taken abroad.
Click to expand...

Doesn’t surprise me. It would appear my car was loading onto a truck in Dudley near Birmingham. I locked the RSNAV unit remotely so when the car turns on at will put a message on the screen saying “this car is stolen” but won’t stop them chopping it up for parts. Such a waste. It was spotless.
 
I know Dudley and the Black Country quite well, grew up not overly far from there. Plenty of qeustionable areas for sure! Lots of traveller camps too...

Had 2 of my cars stolen when i lived in the Midlands. 1 in 2004 and another about 2008. Both recovered some time later stripped.

Sparco bucket seats, harnesses, strut braces, Bailey oil & coolant tanks, samco hoses, audio, alloys and even exhaust system gone.
 
FFFFFFFFFFFF so bummed for you

Losing any car is a heartbreaker, but doubly so when it is rare and tough to replace.
 
Sorry to hear, I feel for ya!

I’m in Loughborough and picked up my rs3 on Tuesday, as soon as I read this I bought gap straight away, now I’m trying to decide whether to get a tracker or just the ghostwatch immobiliser or both and gates and guard dogs and a night guard! It’s ridiculous I had my golf stolen about 3yrs ago they broke in and stole the key, never recovered, police caught them and recovered 12 other cars they’d nicked but not mine!
 
audi upgrades
I know what you mean. I’ve trying to think about getting a GPS/VHF tracker for when I replace the car. Sounds like they loaded my car into a container on a truck. So even if it had full time GPS tracking it would be blocked now. The cops told me a lot of the guys now have gps noise boxes. So they turn that on and your gps can’t find the correct signal to lock on too 99% of the time. So really you want one that has gps and vhf so if the car gets put in a container you can track it with the vhf. I’d rather it get stolen and recovered than force thieves to break into my house.
 
rabhrab said:
O.K. guys, where would you suggest for the relocation position in our S4's?
Click to expand...

Moved mine inside this locked steel box bolted under the dash.
Empty hole where OBD should be, hopefully the vermin leave when they see that.

S l1600
 
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Just seen facebook being shared around, another black B8.5 S4 Avant been stolen in birmingham area last night aswell.
 

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CarbonMike said:
Just seen facebook being shared around, another black B8.5 S4 Avant been stolen in birmingham area last night aswell.
Click to expand...
Right let me just say this im from Birmingham and we seem to be getting a bit of bad press on here due to the recent car theft spike.
Firstly as an owner of an high value car why you wouldn't spend 20 30 quid to have a good ol fashion steering lock on your car fails me. Forget the trackers, ghosts etc take it old school!!I'll add i have them all but nothing beats a visual deterant
Yes they can be cut off but most people i see having their cars taken don't have one. Just a thought.
In Birmingham we seem to have owners who adopt the attitude of it won't happen to me. Well prevention is better than cure.
These ease of stealing a car has got easier and due to the thriving blackmarket we have down here the equipment used is cheap and again we have sooooo many lazy car owners its shocking!!
I would never want my "helen" taken so take everystep i can to prevent that and think of others did the same car thefts wouldn't be so high.
This isn't in anyway a haha at the op or anyone whos had their "baby" taken just a be smart out here people.
P.s car buying in Birmingham is fine for the most part...theres just a few areas even me as a brummie would never ever buy a car from

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk
 
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I agree!
When I first started looking for a slightly used B8 S4 back in 2013, I found the "ideal" car round about Brum(ish), fully loaded but seemed have a front wing V6T badge missing, maybe an accident rebuild, checked all the pictures for that "dealer", lots of blinged Range Rovers etc, so for some reason, maybe being aided by Google, I was diverted to the local press, many reports of incidents at that "dealer" involving firearms - so I gave it a miss, I think that some other reports suggested that you'd need to be a very special person to even drive down to that area!

Edit:- it used to be the same up in Glasgow area, once looked at a Fiesta Ghia, a MK2 car for my wife, it was yellow with many many many large rust spots all over it, no gear knob and very nicely painted tyres that had absolutely no tread, I played along and sounded very interested which concerned my wife, then we escaped never to come back to that dealer. Next car, guy I had contacted was not at work, car was in a terrible mess with "we'll swop all the wheels from another one etc", escaped from that one as well, got a phone call from the guy that was meant to be there to show me the car at the agreed time, he was raging that I was not buying it and came out with "that's no way to do business" - I said that should be my comments to you! Ending up finding one locally private sale in Edinburgh an honest little car that was bought.
 
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I lived in the Black Country for like 25 years prior to moving to the South Coast...

So many shady as f car sales places in the Birmingham area its unreal!
 
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