Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83 based; site hound.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!houxm!hound!rfg From: rfg@hound.UUCP (R.GRANTGES) Newsgroups: net.audio Subject: Carstereo antitheft devices - summary -(long)mediumlong long) Message-ID: <568@hound.UUCP> Date: Wed, 25-Jul-84 13:07:46 EDT Article-I.D.: hound.568 Posted: Wed Jul 25 13:07:46 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 27-Jul-84 04:40:36 EDT Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ Lines: 87 [] On July 17 I asked net.audio foollk for informastion on anti-theft devices for car bsterstereos. The following summarizes all the replies I received. Thanks to those who replied. -Dick Grantges hound!rfg [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Subject: Keeping your car radio I just got a 1984 Toyota Celica, with fancy radio. I like my car, and have threatened to kill someone who opened their door into it in a parking lot. Since I'm moving to Boston in three weeks, I've been Bostonizing my mobile, and can offer the following: (1) Get a Chapman lock. They run about 150-200 dollars to buy and install but are well worth the money. Mine is being done next week, and I can't tell you exactly how they work -- there are several variations. The basic ideas are that if the car is started without an ignition key, the engine cuts off at 1500 RPM; there is also a lock thru the steering column, and possible alarms and motion sensors. Your insurance company will probably cut you a 10-15% break on your comprehensive. They seem to work pretty well, having been told by friends in Boston who drive RX-7's and other such fancy cars. (2) If your car has a dash that features a radio recess (i.e. your radio does not stick out of the dash, but sits flush or almost flush except for the knobs), build a simple aluminum and stainless steel faceplate for the radio. Mine covers the whole center console of the dash, and locks into the dashboard supports. The lock is concealed, and from the outside, it looks like there is no radio in the car. Simple -- the first tip off for a car hitter is all of those knobs and dials sitting in your dash. Cover'em and the hood thinks twice about going in after something. (3) If you are really concerned, put the radio in the glove compartment. Unless you change stations every five minutes (like me) or need to constantly have access to the volume/balance controls, you can turn it on when you hop in, and then lock it up when you leave. No radio -- no rip-off. One of our people here is on her third radio and second fuzzbuster, and she suggests putting a poisonous snake behind the dash, so that whoever pulls the unit out of the dash dies within minutes of the hit. Hal Stern allegra!princeton!tilt!stern From: ihnp4!fortune!tierney Hi! Could you send any interesting replys to moi? Thank You. I have been told that the Chapman alarm is the best. I have also been told that the Blaupunct Berlin is the safest car stereo - though it costs 1500 bucks! Charlie Tierney Dick, I recently read your request under net.audiofor advice e/experiences with anti-theft devices on net.audio. I recently bought a new car with a good stereo system and have been looking into a number of auto and stereo anti-theft devices. I would like to know what you have heard also-- perhaps we can call/meet and compare ideas. I'm at HO 2D-228, 949-7380, hou2b!syf. Rosalind Wright >From convex!ctvax!uokvax!rctracy Fri Jul 20 16:31:06 1984 remote from allegra From: allegra!convex!uokvax!rctracy (Tracy, Robert C.) Subject: anti-rip-off devices I don't know about the practicality of the following suggestion, but it was most effective for a neighbor of mine here in Oklahoma. Back when CBs were all the rage, his CB was getting stolen from his pickup at fairly regular intervals. Finally, he got tired of replacing the radio and decided to take action: he soldered several double-edge razor blades to the back of the unit (favorite method of removal seemed to be grabbing from behind and yanking)!! Burglar broke through driver's window to gain entry, attempted to remove the radio in the usual fashion, and sliced his fingers off! When my neighbor examined the carnage the next morning, he found blood all over everything, and the CB had been beaten to a pulp. Granted, he lost one more radio, but had no more problems after that!! On a more practical level... Anything mounted in the dash as opposed to under it is fairly secure. Certain types of cars are more susceptible to rapid removal of dash units than others, and the point here is that the experienced thief couldn't care less about the appearance of the dash afterwards. Speed is of the essence, consequently, anything you can do to slow or frustrate entry into the vehicle will be effective. Standard car sirens are more irritating than useful, judging by the number of false alarms that our campus police at the University of Oklahoma have to answer. Also, the noise level drops off sharply with what I feel is too little distance. Hiding the stereo is another alternative, as in "what can't be seen isn't attractive to a passing thief." At least one outfit I know of sells a fake front for expensive car stereos that makes them look like the trashiest stuff coming out of Detroit these days. I think J.C. Whitney used to carry such a beast, and the price is right. I kinda like the razor blade idea myself... :-) [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][]