Car theft still major concern

As car thieves get more sophisticated, old-school anti-theft tools like The Club prove effective. iStock

By Bill Griffith @MrAutoWriter

May 29, 2016

5 minutes to read

Sometimes old school systems still work.

I was watching my friend Hank pack up his Lexus to drive home from Florida to Reading, Mass., earlier this month.

His car had electric locks and the factory alarm system, but he had added one more visible deterrent, The Club.

Depending on your age, you may (or may not) remember the expandable bar that locks across the steering wheel and makes it impossible to turn the wheel without breaking the windshield. It’s an old tool, but just like a hand-powered drill, it still works.

And Hank’s reasoning was solid. “Even though I take any important papers and electronics out of the car when we stop at a motel overnight, I still hate the idea of leaving a fully loaded car in the parking lot. Anything I can do to discourage a would-be thief is worth it to me,’’ he says.

His reasoning made enough sense to me that I went to a local auto parts store and bought one, chuckling as the store clerk dusted off the package after finding one in stock.

Why write about an old theft prevention system when automakers offer vehicle tracking and recovery systems with new cars?

Precisely because newer cars still are being stolen, often via sophisticated methods.

And also because LoJack, the company that was founded in Massachusetts some 30 years ago, just released its annual vehicle theft recovery report.

For the seventh consecutive year, California, Texas, and Florida ranked as the top three states for recoveries of LoJack-equipped vehicles. Massachusetts ranked ninth and was the only New England state among the Top 10, but the Northeast is well represented. New York and New Jersey rank four and five.

The LoJack system works by having a hidden radio transceiver that can be activated by police. The company says more than 90 percent of stolen vehicles equipped with LoJack were recovered in 2015.

My friend Hank’s actions fall right in line with LoJack’s theft-prevention advice to all car owners: 1) Never leave a key or key fob in a vehicle, 2) close windows and lock doors, 3) park in well-lit areas, 4) use reputable valets only, and 5) hide all valuables.

Last year’s LoJack recoveries ranged from a classic 1956 Ford Fairlane to a 2011 Bentley Continental GT.

In recent years, LoJack has branched out to help protect classic cars, fleet vehicles, construction sites, cargo loads, and personal property.

However, thieves have become more sophisticated, using so-called “mystery devices’’ to unlock vehicles and for vehicle cloning—changing the VIN (vehicle ID number) on a stolen car and then reselling it.

Add those to traditional chop-shop tactics and the shipping of stolen cars overseas, and the risk of losing your ride remains.

Other forms of theft include copying smart keys and using phony identities and credit reports to finance a vehicle sale illegally.

The most-stolen-and-recovered models (ranking 1-2-3) are the Honda Civic, Honda Accord, and Toyota Camry. Among more expensive vehicles, favorite targets were the Land Rover Range Rover, Ford F-Series, BMW X-Series, Chevy Camaro, and Audi Q-Series.

“Each time a vehicle is stolen, it impacts the owner far beyond the loss of property,’’ says Pat Clancy, who is LoJack liaison with law enforcement.

It’s all enough to make me glad I rejoined The Club instead of the lost-vehicle club.

A PACE-SETTING PAIR: Roger Penske and the Camaro pace car for today’s Indianapolis 500 both are celebrating 50th anniversaries.

Setting the Pace

Chevy has produced a unique version of its 50th anniversary edition Camaro SS that will be the pace car for today’s 100th running of the Indianapolis 500.

Motorsports luminary Roger Penske, who is celebrating his 50th year as a team owner, will be the celebrity pace-car driver even as his racing team seeks a 17th Indy 500 title.

This is the 9th time Camaro has been the pace car, and the 27th time for Chevrolet.

Four identically prepared Camaros will beat the track, all with exclusive abalone white exteriors and “100th Running of the Indianapolis 500’’ graphics.

With 455 horsepower under the hood, the SS pace cars required no performance modifications.

Self-Driving Minivans

It came as little surprise that Google chose the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan as a significant partner in developing its self-driving car. It’s a new model, one that should be around a while, and has plenty of interior space for people and equipment, qualities that make it a really useful consumer vehicle.

FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) will provide 100 or so specially prepared vehicles for Google’s team to integrate its package of people, sensors, and computers.

John Krafcik, the former Hyundai CEO and now head of the Google project, says, “The opportunity to work closely with FCA engineers will accelerate our efforts to develop a fully self-driving car, one that will make our roads safer and bring everyday destinations within reach for those who cannot drive.’’

… and 18-Wheelers?

Don’t laugh. Automotive News reports that suppliers Bosch and Continental are testing lane keeping systems, smart cruise control with collision prevention, and crosswind compensation systems designed to make over-the-road trucking safer and maybe someday autonomous.

The systems theoretically would make it possible for long convoys of trucks to save fuel by running together 30 to 40 feet apart.

Etc.

The auto show circuit heats up in a big way next Sunday with a Main Street show in Marlboro (9 a.m.-2 p.m.), Danvers Ford’s 23nd annual show from 8-1, and Antique Day at Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline from 10-2, which is open to all vehicles at least 25 years old … Also next Sunday, Commonwealth Chevrolet in Lawrence is sponsoring its 3rd annual Sea of Pink motorcycle cruise from the dealership to Rindge, N.H. The Daher family, owners of the Commonwealth motor group, also has invited all New England fEl Camino owners to bring their vehicles and participate in the events. Registration is at 10 a.m.; the police-escorted ride leaves at 10:45 … And Bezema Motors (401 Providence Highway in Norwood) is the site for the 12th annual Norwood Arena/New England Dragway South reunion from 10-3. It’s open to antique and classic cars and motorcycles, but the big draw is an array of classic race cars assembled by event organizer Lou Modestino, a true keeper of the flame for New England short-track racing history.