Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2002 10:49:26 -0400
Reply-To: "G. Matthew Bulley" <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: "G. Matthew Bulley" <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Organization: Bulley-Hewlett
Subject: Re: do vanagons ever get stolen???
In-Reply-To: <200208171353.MLS00833@vmms5.verisignmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
"when they were unable to steal it, they set fire to it instead in
frustration."
Well how do we know they set fire to it out of frustration? Maybe they
were going to burn it all along. Or maybe they wanted to cover their
tracks. Or maybe they like the sight of a vehicle catching fire. Or
maybe all that spilled gasoline was an accident, and the lit match was
another accident. Who knows.
More to the point of theft deterrents. Three paths I have not employed,
but are fairly novel and predictably effective.
1. Bumper stickers
2. 40kv personal protection pocket zapper-incapacitation wired into
seat/steering column
3. Interior screamers
Let's talk about each.
Thieves hate bumper stickers, particularly cars that are plastered with
them. My carpenter has a 4 year old Jeep Cherokee that has probably 50
bumper stickers on it. The back end, and back side windows are covered.
No one would steal this thing, it looks like a POS, plus the cops could
find this vehicle instantly. He never locks it. Cheap deterrent.
AS for the zapper, I thought of this after seeing a story about cabbies
in NYC who were quietly having those 40kv personal protection zappers
wired into the seat cushions in the back seat, with a driver's foot
switch to activate it (in case of robbery/physical danger to the
driver). The story was looking at the safety/legality issues (which they
didn't answer). But my though was a theft deterrent system that is in
the driver's seat cushion, and steering wheel.
If someone doesn't have the right code, or doesn't have the transmitter
and tries to start/maneuver the vehicle, the seat and steering column
administer a mild shock for a moment or two. Repeated attempts gradually
increase the intensity and duration of the shock until it reaches 10,000
kilojoules, which causes fibrillation, brain death, and thief gets a one
way ticket to St. Pete's desk.
Okay, so maybe it doesn't get that strong, but there aren't many of us
who can stand to hold on to a harmless electric cattle fence, so this
seat thing should be safe enough. Someone try it, and let us all know.
Interior Screamers. These tiny, 135 db high-pitched siren devices will
drive you batty. Some say they can be defeated by earplugs, but not
really. If you mounted 3 inside your Vanagon, the thief would have to be
stone deaf to be able to bear more than a moment or two in the van. If
he stayed longer, he *would be* stone deaf.
Developing business and guiding change since 1996,
G. Matthew Bulley
Bulley-Hewlett
Marketing & Communications
Business: www.bulley-hewlett.com
AIM = IExplain4u
Phone: +1.919.658.1278
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
Of 80 Westy Pokey
Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2002 9:54 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: do vanagons ever get stolen???
This is a no win situation. Thieves broke into a co-worker
of mine's truck and when they were unable to steal it, they
set fire to it instead in frustration.
Aparently the same holds true of Contral Park NYC. A recent
news story (I can7t remember where) said that the rule of
thumb is you carry at least $20 with you at all times or
face a severe beating from the annoyed robber who's time you
just "wasted".
Better to get an "agreed value" policy with your insurance
company. If the vehicle is stolen or written off you will
know in advance what the value of your vehicle will be. You
will face higher premiums monthly but there will be no
surprises if you have a claim.
In Ontario I think the "agreed value" policies are
called "19A riders". I imagine most Canadian Provinces and
US States have similar products available.
Thanks,
Chris
---- Original message ----
>Date: Fri, 16 Aug 2002 22:59:29 -0400
>From: John Tomljenovic <zadar72@YAHOO.COM>
>Subject: Re: do vanagons ever get stolen???
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>
>yeh, the lowballing of insurance companies sometimes makes
me
>hesitate putting so much work in my "Elsa". Oh, what would
I do if she
>ever got stolen. And so the kill switch idea gets me
thinking, But not
>just a battery and starter, but also the fuel, ignition.
By the time the
>thief figures to start the thing he will give up.
Everything would be
>remotely operated by some code. Does anyone know of some
>companies who manufacture this kind of stuff? I imagine
my odds of
>the vanagon getting stolen in the US might be rare, but if
I do a south
>american trip? This would be necessary.
>
>
>Johnny t
>
>
>
>
>
>
>On Fri, 16 Aug 2002 17:09:59 -0700, Phil S. <
>napszeerf@YAHOO.COM> wrote:
>
>>And the sad part is, insurance companys hardly see
>>much value in Vanagons....even Vanagons WITH receipts
>>of mods/upgrades and photos.
>>
>>Anyone ever install a hidden kill switch?....a cheap
>>easy anti-theft mod indeed.
>>
>>Heres some nice kill switches, scroll down to the
>>bottom one:
>>http://www.magnumforceracing.com/
>flaming_river_battery_switches.asp
>>
>>Phil Stanhope 84' Westy
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>--- Jim Arnott <jrasite@EONI.COM> wrote:
>>> Yeah... A couple had their Diesel Westy disappear up
>>> in Vancouver, BC
>>> last winter. And there was the one over in Italy.
>>> The Super Westy...
>>>
>>> That's just off the top of my head. So, yeah, they
>>> walk away too.
>>>
>>> Jim
>>>
>>> JordanVw@AOL.COM wrote:
>>> > a friend of mine just had his vw cabriolet stolen
>>> yesterday morning.. and
>>> > that brought me to thinking - do people even steal
>>> vanagons? i mean, ive
>>> > been on this list from back in the old Lenti days
>>> and ive never seen "someone
>>> > stole my vanagon!" posting... yes, alot of
>>> vanagons get broken into by
>>> > crackheads who want to root thru the westy
>>> cabinets or take a stereo for some
>>> > quick money, but has anyone ever heard of a whole
>>> vanagon being stolen?
>>> > seriously, i doubt if the average car thief would
>>> want to be caught ever
>>> > stealing one..
>>> >
>>> > the vanagon's boxy and ungainly looks and pitifal
>>> performance is all the
>>> > theft deterrant you'll ever need.. :<) kinda like
>>> stealing a Yugo..
>>> >
>>> > chris
>>> >
>>> > .
>>> >
>>
>>
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