S3 stolen

[Mike.]

Sad to say that my car got stolen off my drive last night while we where out for a meal.
Cars can be replaced (I have gap insurance) not that I’ll get another high performance car like it again as much as I will always want one.
It’s the fact some one/people have been in our house and gone through all the cupboards and draws throughout the house to find the spare key.
Also nothing else was taken, so looks like it was a steel to order.

 

[OliS3]

Sorry to hear that! Hope the insurance pay out nice and easily

What area out of interest?

 

[Sparks43]

Sad to say that my car got stolen off my drive last night while we where out for a meal.
Cars can be replaced (I have gap insurance) not that I’ll get another high performance car like it again as much as I will always want one.
It’s the fact some one/people have been in our house and gone through all the cupboards and draws throughout the house to find the spare key.
Also nothing else was taken, so looks like it was a steel to order.

Sorry to hear this Mike - A saving grace is that you weren't in though and it ending up a lot worse

Like you say knowing someone has been in your house is horrible - I'll say I hope they catch them but we all know the odds of that.

At least you have GAP insurance not that it's any real consolation

Some people are just scum!!

 

[MaffewEM]

Such a shame. Although as they went for it as you were out they were likely watching the house to make sure it had no-one in. Which is lucky but it’s a shame you can’t have nice things without someone taking them. Probably the sensible and safer option to refrain from having another but that shouldn’t be the case.

Hopefully insurance goes through quick. Out of interest was the car relatively new - wonder if they’re only going for say recent plates rather than 65/16/66 etc? Which would be interesting to see if the older ones are safer?

 

[Terminator x]

Get autowatch ghost on the next one, can't be taken even with keys.

TX.

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[lucaslfc]

guttered to hear this mate, its shocking tbh. that ghost system has now moved up in my top 3 on me list to do..

 

[T-800]

Get autowatch ghost on the next one, can't be taken even with keys.

TX.

Sent from my BBB100-2 using Tapatalk

Agreed.

 

[oli356]

Sorry to hear that... Seems all far too common atm on here...

Really does make me consider Ghost. Just hard to justify £400 as such a preemptive measure. If the car does get stolen though then I guess the insurance would go up by more than £400! So it pays for itself

Doesn't stop people going into your house though!

 

[Terminator x]

I'd simply rather it didn't get stolen though, think of all the hassle involved if it happened.

TX.

 

[lucaslfc]

scary thought to think if your home, i be more concerned about the jail time i would be facing if i got me hands on anyone breaking in my home.

 

[Flowrider99]

My concern with Ghost is that if someone has targeted your car to order, and really wants it bad enough, whats to stop them breaking into your house whilst you are there and threatening you or your family for the code. However i can see how Ghost is a great device for stopping your car being stolen whilst you are parked in a public place or not at home.

 

[Ormesome]

Sorry to hear this. I agree with you, if a performance car attracts some idiots to break in to my house and rummage around then I would be getting rid of the car and not installing a ghost system. From other similar threads, it seems like cctv, specialised locks & other preventatives are not working therefore a different car might be best. The thought of having someone in my house, whether im at home asleep or not there, worries me quite a bit...

 

[Flowrider99]

scary thought to think if your home, i be more concerned about the jail time i would be facing if i got me hands on anyone breaking in my home.

Whilst i agree with your sentiments, there is alwas someone bigger that you..........unless you are a big a$$ cage fighter or something!

 

[lucaslfc]

Whilst i agree with your sentiments, there is alwas someone bigger that you..........unless you are a big a$$ cage fighter or something!

thats true mate but we all have our weapon of choice never to far from reach

 

[Terminator x]

My concern with Ghost is that if someone has targeted your car to order, and really wants it bad enough, whats to stop them breaking into your house whilst you are there and threatening you or your family for the code. However i can see how Ghost is a great device for stopping your car being stolen whilst you are parked in a public place or not at home.

They wouldn't know though as car starts then stalls. Could just be broken.

TX.

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[-Ju-]

Sorry to hear it mate and I hope things work out well for you.
We were similarly targeted on Monday evening while I was out walking the dog. All caught on cctv but no actual attempt as yet. Fingers crossed its a warning and the steps we've taken will help.
It's a sad day though when you can't even park your car on the drive.
All the best to you and your family

 

[Jassyo06]

Sad indeed sorry to here of this mate hopefully you'll get yourself all sorted.
on a personal note my 2 sets of keys are miles apart from each other,even when l leave the car in the drive and use the Mrs car,my keys are with me and as l said the other set are miles away, l have had 2 attempts of theft of my cars in the last 3 years,one specific time they where in the house as we where in our beds,the other time they attempted to snap the front door locks with a nail bar of sorts my Mrs heard them and the nutter ran outside after them closely followed by myself as she could'nt fight herself out of a wet paper bag.
On another note car theft around my way is highly unlikely in the winter due to adverse weather,its the ****** spring summer months....is when car thefts are more likely to happen

 

[New S4 Man]

Sorry to hear about your loss.

Manufactories really need to get their collective **** together to make stealing cards harder - seems to be a lack of collective responsibility in the industry. If Biometric auth is good enough for a cheap *** smart phone then it's good enough for a 40 grand car. We shouldnt need to resort to 3rd party deterrents.

 

[S32B]

My concern with Ghost is that if someone has targeted your car to order, and really wants it bad enough, whats to stop them breaking into your house whilst you are there and threatening you or your family for the code. However i can see how Ghost is a great device for stopping your car being stolen whilst you are parked in a public place or not at home.

Main reason I got it, at home I have all the visible deterrents such as CCTV, security lights, chained gates, pro lock across the steering wheel etc. In work or shopping just the ghost system

 

[New S4 Man]

Surely no one is going to be able to nick it if your out shopping etc anyway as they would have no key?

 

[wab172uk]

My concern with Ghost is that if someone has targeted your car to order, and really wants it bad enough, whats to stop them breaking into your house whilst you are there and threatening you or your family for the code. However i can see how Ghost is a great device for stopping your car being stolen whilst you are parked in a public place or not at home.

^^^^^ This exactly,

I've frequented many car forums over the years, and been around the Subaru/Evo years, and Cosworth / Focus RS popularity years. I've read many threads from people say hide your keys upstairs out the way. Make like difficult for any thieves etc.

I've also read many a thread from distraught owners (ex-owners) writing about waking up at 3am with a knife to their throat, or to the throats of their wife or kids, demanding the hidden car keys. Stories of being hit with crowbars, or stabbed with screwdrivers. All for what? A set of car keys.

These types of people, who are generally stealing cars to order, are getting the car one way or another. Sad, but true. I've always left my car keys downstairs in the kitchen. If they break-in, take the keys and F**k the F**k0ff out of my house. I just hope you drive off so fast you hit a tree and die.

I've only had one tracker before, and that was only because it came with the car. Otherwise I wouldn't have one. If it's been stolen, I don't want it back. If I did get it back, it'd be sold the very next day. Why? 1) It wouldn't feel like my pride and joy anymore. 2) They know where the car is, and may well come back for it.

While leaving the car keys in easy reach (once in house) the car is 95% of the time sat in the garage, with another car parked in front of it. While the most determined thief won't mind moving another car out of the way, fiddling on with garage door keys etc, it may be enough to off-put most. Therefore, hopefully my car won't be targeted. Hopefully !

 

[4K]

My concern with Ghost is that if someone has targeted your car to order, and really wants it bad enough, whats to stop them breaking into your house whilst you are there and threatening you or your family for the code. However i can see how Ghost is a great device for stopping your car being stolen whilst you are parked in a public place or not at home.

Time.

 

[oli356]

My concern with Ghost is that if someone has targeted your car to order, and really wants it bad enough, whats to stop them breaking into your house whilst you are there and threatening you or your family for the code.

I would like to think they wouldn't do this. It's not quick and easy for them and they risk harm to themselves too.. But yeah you want them to think the car is broken i suppose.

 

[S32B]

Surely no one is going to be able to nick it if your out shopping etc anyway as they would have no key?

They don't need the key! Watch the first 3 mins of this to give you an idea:



Even WITH the original key, unless you know the code for the Ghost system they can't move it! You can have engine cut out or gearbox lock set up.

 

[GW1]

A few years ago some scumbag got into my garage and tried to steal my TTS. The garage and house have an alarm system with a visible warning flashing light and a CCTV. The alarm activated and the noise would wake the dead but they just didn’t care. I went out and they just looked at me luckily my neighbour came out and then he took off. The reason these people are not worried is there are no police about and if they are unlucky to get caught, the courts let us down with a punishment that they laugh at. I would not want a stolen car back ever. Where do all these stolen cars go too ??

 

[Tom.H]

How would they know the car had AWG fitted? Surely if they get in and can't start it with the key they're going to leg it?

 

[Mike.]

Thanks for all the support guys.
Never think it’s going to happen to yourself until it does.
I would definitely prefer them to just take the car rather than possibly come back and force it off us.

 

[Marky-s3]

Gutted for you not that it helps but i keep my spare key in a friends property in there safe and take my key everywhere with me because im paranoid of this happening had a van stolen without keys in past

 

[Mythos]

Absolute joke that you can't have a nice car that you've earned through working hard just because some little rat decides to steal it.

 

[Flowrider99]

I can't image how stressful it must be own an RS given all the reports of stolen or vandalised S cars.

 

[oli356]

I can't image how stressful it must be own an RS given all the reports of stolen or vandalised S cars.

Fortunately they are rarer so maybe the thieves give up trying to find them lol. S3s are common at least.
I can't picture ever seeing an RS outside someones house.... there's somebody with an M4 round the corner from me, but apart from that...nope....

Thing is though. It's not exactly S3s are the most expensive cars around. A Q5 for example starts at £38k. So I really don't understand why they are always targets... if they are to be used for crime as a get away vehicle then fair enough.. tbh, don't know if many stolen cars are sold compared to just trashed.

 

[Jassyo06]

This forum is a Goldfish bowl..... For reports of stolen S3's Metaphor..... But hey we all just need to be vigilant no matter what car we own

 

[Daveotto]

Sorry for the OP or anyone who has their car stolen

but

So I really don't understand why they are always targets.

S3's are not the only targets, you are not given special attention as you own an S3. All high performance/high spec cars are targets for steal to order for export or to be used in other crime, hate to say it but it's an unfortunate fact of life

Take all reasonable precaution, protect you family and get GAP in case it happens.

If it does happen, get annoyed for an hour or so, then move on...aint nothing more you can do about it and spend more time on stuff you can actually influence

 

[oli356]

@Daveotto Yeah, worded that slightly wrongly. Of course I'm not saying we are the only targets but if the A3/8V is in the top 5 stolen cars or whatever in the country, that is what I'm questioning.

But agree with you 100%

 

[Flying Scotsman]

I really feel for those that have had their cars nicked, but where do they go after being stolen. If for order, I can not see much demand for left hand drive vehicles, apart from the UK market and the other few countries that drive on the left. As for getaway cars I would have thought, thieves would choose a different vehicle, not an S3. For parts that does not make sense either. So where do they end up?

 

[Jimbbobw1977]

Fortunately they are rarer so maybe the thieves give up trying to find them lol. S3s are common at least.
I can't picture ever seeing an RS outside someones house.... there's somebody with an M4 round the corner from me, but apart from that...nope....

Thing is though. It's not exactly S3s are the most expensive cars around. A Q5 for example starts at £38k. So I really don't understand why they are always targets... if they are to be used for crime as a get away vehicle then fair enough.. tbh, don't know if many stolen cars are sold compared to just trashed.

Price of car has little bearing. Most will be stripped within hours and parts sold on, or parts used from many other cars to create one so correct identity can’t be found out.

One of the most popular stolen is the Fiesta ST or Fiesta Titanium simply because the popularity of them, and ease of shifting parts.

 

[davc]

Sorry to hear this Mike.

 

[ACWKGYTO]

Ive had a couple of cars nicked in Manchester, but not recently this was a while back. One was a Ford Escort Van ex post office, bought it at auction and just had the cambelt done....was more gutted at the time about all my cassette tapes being nicked, never saw that one again....next was a Red Saab I had which a Salford gang stole from outside a photography talk I went to, near where the Hacienda used to be. This was about 15 years ago now, I got the car back with a designer t shirt in the boot still in its wrapper from the clothing robbery theyd used the car for, police didnt even bother fingerprinting it, as they most probably knew the suspects anyway ! Once again CD collection was ruined, car interior was fixed, as kids had got inside it ramming screwdrivers into the dashboard. Anyway what I'm trying to say is you will get over it and you will have more nice cars, its not just S3's that are nicked its all sorts, S3's are not even in the top 10. Insurance companies and car manufacturers dont really want cars to be unnickable, its all good for business !

 

[New S4 Man]

They don't need the key! Watch the first 3 mins of this to give you an idea:

Sure that applies to some fords/bmws. I've not heard of any S3/A3 stolen via that particular method though?

 

[richinsoton]

How would they know the car had AWG fitted? Surely if they get in and can't start it with the key they're going to leg it?

Well if the knuckledraggers read any of the forums vaguely relating to S3, RS or Golf R thefts it's the one immobiliser that always pops up as a recommendation & how likely is it that a car sat on a driveway breaksdown at that point rather than having already been recovered to a retailer for a warranty claim etc?.

Personally I'd rather they took the car & were gone with the minimum chance of risk to my family. The car is insured & has GAP insurance so I wouldn't want to see it again.