Need advice for truck anti-theft device

[mrmikey]

Reminds me of an incident that happened many years ago when an old drinking buddy of mine worked as a bouncer at a roadside tavern. His truck was constantly being burglarized while he was on the job. He tried various alarm systems but, as you noted, they were mostly ignored in the crowded tavern parking lot.

Out of frustration, he wired two oil burner transformers to the truck body so a would be thief would get a 5000 volt shock when they entered the cab. It worked very well for a few months until one night, he found a dead body lying next to his truck after he got off work. It was an older, well known thief who had several B&E convictions. He had a heart condition and the shock killed him when he tried to break into the truck.

To make a long story short, my buddy got in serious legal trouble for booby trapping his truck. What really gets me though is, the thief's family hit him with a wrongful death suit! He was in court for a couple of years and I lost touch with him so I don't know how it all ended.

I guess this is why you don't see high voltage alarm systems on the market.

This kind of stuff irks me.
Yeah, it's too bad he died but saying that, if he not tried to break into the truck he'd still be alive. If it's not your stuff, you have no right to be touching it.
Reminds me, a lot of decades ago my dad had a shed in his back yard, 8 x 10 or similar. Used to keep his mower couple of shovels in it, nothing worth anything but he put a padlock on it. Well the shed backed on a path and there were people breaking into it just because. Ended up he'd just pull the hasp over and not bother with a lock figuring it'd be just left alone.
Then the local idiots would open the door and have a crap or a leak in it. At the end he ended up gluing a couple of razor blades to the underside of the hasp so they were sticking out 1/4" or so. Couple days later the door was swinging in the wind with a small pool of blood below the door, never was bothered again after that.

 

[BnRidge]

This or a wheel boot.

https://www.etrailer.com/Vehicle-Locks/Winner-International/WICL303RED.html?feed=npn&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrOOiwfbwggMVIkhHAR0m8wIsEAQYBSABEgIpSvD_BwE

And the steering wheel club work around.

Seems like every device that can be looked up ahead of time has a way to disable it. We recently had our car broken onto, window smashed, glove box raided. I dream of laying a 440 conibear in there baited with a wallet and a $20, but probably not a good idea. Making sure the vehical is free of anything at all enticing inside, with the glove box left open might be a better option. For vehical theft try something unconventional, like some other multiple layered wizardry that would be easy to use but confuse anyone but yourself.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Get a Mason jar and a 12volt valve. Fix door locks so entering truck doors lock & windows won't go down. Fill jar 1/2 bleach, half ammonia closing quickly. Put under seat so when perp goes in, can't exit & valve opens.
Mustard gas!

 

[5030]

Good insurance with a low deductible.

 

[bcp]

Reminds me of an incident that happened many years ago when an old drinking buddy of mine worked as a bouncer at a roadside tavern. His truck was constantly being burglarized while he was on the job. He tried various alarm systems but, as you noted, they were mostly ignored in the crowded tavern parking lot.

Out of frustration, he wired two oil burner transformers to the truck body so a would be thief would get a 5000 volt shock when they entered the cab. It worked very well for a few months until one night, he found a dead body lying next to his truck after he got off work. It was an older, well known thief who had several B&E convictions. He had a heart condition and the shock killed him when he tried to break into the truck.

To make a long story short, my buddy got in serious legal trouble for booby trapping his truck. What really gets me though is, the thief's family hit him with a wrongful death suit! He was in court for a couple of years and I lost touch with him so I don't know how it all ended.

I guess this is why you don't see high voltage alarm systems on the market.

There are too many innocent reasons an adult or child may touch your truck to make the exterior dangerous. Interior, maybe.

Find the most obnoxious music, that comes on full volume when the door is open, with a hidden way to turn it off.

Bruce

 

[bdhsfz6]

There are too many innocent reasons an adult or child may touch your truck to make the exterior dangerous. Interior, maybe.


Bruce

I agree.

I'm not defending the guy but in this case, the transformers were wired to the door switch. That way, the perp would have a good hold on the door handle when it activated.

 

[ultrarunner]

Neighbors boot their own trucks here... yes, it's come to that.

For me going to Home Depot with my service van was an open invite to thieves... even in first parking space right at the entrance.

It got to the point I simply could not go to Home Depot unless I had someone stay with the truck.

My one man electrical contractor can only work with his dog...

Very effective... Dog is always outside under the truck on the job... people can walk by all day long but the moment feet stop and pivot to the truck the dog is on it...

He leaves his windows mostly down and doesn't lock his truck... dog is all he needs.

911 called once by someone saying dog unattended in vehicle... windows down with water inside and officer said no problem...

 

[plowhog]

Seems like every device that can be looked up ahead of time has a way to disable it.

I know of a business that has booby trapped cash dispensing machines using non-lethal pepper spray bombs.

If you use the appropriate keys to open the machines, all is well. If you crowbar it open .... boom-- you are suddenly in a room filled with pepper spray.

 

[ultrarunner]

Would be great for neighborhood mailboxes!!!

 

[MTGreen]

And the steering wheel club work around.

Seems like every device that can be looked up ahead of time has a way to disable it. We recently had our car broken onto, window smashed, glove box raided. I dream of laying a 440 conibear in there baited with a wallet and a $20, but probably not a good idea. Making sure the vehical is free of anything at all enticing inside, with the glove box left open might be a better option. For vehical theft try something unconventional, like some other multiple layered wizardry that would be easy to use but confuse anyone but yourself.

I've been using clubs for years.
Nothing is theft "prevention"; but if you have something obvious (like a club) on a vehicle, it's going to take thieves extra time to bypass the device -so it acts as a deterrent and makes them more likely to bypass yours and pick another identical model in the parking lot that doesn't have the device and can be stolen quicker.

Same logic applies to bank safes -nothing is absolutely theft proof. Just a matter of prolonging the time it will take for a thief to get in so the real theft prevention (humans) can respond

 

[ultrarunner]

What about the old chain around steering wheel and brake pedal with padlock?

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Any loud noise is a pretty good deterrent. 150db is loud, rig it up inside with a hidden switch. Have wires in flexible conduit so it can't be cut. It calls attention and who can stand a loud noise?

 

[D&D]

And the steering wheel club work around.

Seems like every device that can be looked up ahead of time has a way to disable it. We recently had our car broken onto, window smashed, glove box raided. I dream of laying a 440 conibear in there baited with a wallet and a $20, but probably not a good idea. Making sure the vehical is free of anything at all enticing inside, with the glove box left open might be a better option. For vehical theft try something unconventional, like some other multiple layered wizardry that would be easy to use but confuse anyone but yourself.

A) not installed in a way that’s worth a dam
B) I was linking to the brake pedal to steering wheel lock which is more idiot proof
C) How many car thief’s have you heard about carrying a battery drill + bit assortment?
D) All gimmicks are theft deterrents, not foolproof guarantees.

 

[ultrarunner]

Just watch a repo in action... hook it up and drag off...

 

[D&D]

Just watch a repo in action... hook it up and drag off...

Yep and no one but the owner gives the tow truck a second thought

 

[MTGreen]

Neighbors boot their own trucks here... yes, it's come to that.

For me going to Home Depot with my service van was an open invite to thieves... even in first parking space right at the entrance.

It got to the point I simply could not go to Home Depot unless I had someone stay with the truck.

My one man electrical contractor can only work with his dog...

Very effective... Dog is always outside under the truck on the job... people can walk by all day long but the moment feet stop and pivot to the truck the dog is on it...

He leaves his windows mostly down and doesn't lock his truck... dog is all he needs.

911 called once by someone saying dog unattended in vehicle... windows down with water inside and officer said no problem...

Sounds like you live in the pro-criminal state of Kalifornia ..

 

[jaxs]

There's no reasonable way of deterring tow trucks but there's countless ways to make it difficult so thieves move on. I could leave keys in the old truck I pull heavy equipment trailer with and doubtful anyone would steal it but equipment on trailer is real attractive. When I installed aux fuel tank in bed when truck was new I used a manual valve that has an off position AND must be pulled up to allow switching tanks or on/off. I've found it a few yards from where I left it a few times but they didn't take time to pry tool boxes open. Had a couple hotel managers POed about truck and trailer blocking drive but they know what room the driver is in and most don't make a fuss when they realize what happened. Before my brother died he had a sleeper cab to move our equipment and contracting for others. He was accustomed to sleeping where and when job called for but it ruined his day when someone disturbed him. There were no automatic sensory devices on market then but he put a speaker beneath truck and pressed on button for an endless loop tape player of rattling chain and large dog barking and snarling. A couple of long haul drivers copied the idea to scare lot lizards off at truck stops. Maybe that would work better than alarm sounds on modern devices.

 

[gsganzer]

Just watch a repo in action... hook it up and drag off...

That's what I suspect is the most common way of stealing high end vehicles. Like others have said, nobody but the owner knows that the tow truck shouldn't be hooking it up, and most people don't want to get involved anyway.

My plan is to contact my insurance agent Monday and see if they have any recommendations/discounts.

 

[Johnkn]

I have a Ravelco on my TRX, it is not going to be defeated and the truck will not start w/o the cap.

There is no single device that will prevent all theft (ie: flatbed) however multiple steps help.

Good luck...

.

 

[ultrarunner]

Sounds like you live in the pro-criminal state of Kalifornia ..

SF Bay Area... property crimes are not enforced... need a report... file one online.