Date:         Thu, 15 Apr 2004 16:21:01 -0700
Reply-To:     Doug in Calif <vanagon@ASTOUND.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Doug in Calif <vanagon@ASTOUND.NET>
Subject:      Re: how do you break into a vanagon?
Comments: To: Oxroad@aol.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I agree and think the thread should be how to avoid a break in.
One thing that seems to be quite an effective way to keep your vanagon where
it was last left, is the fuel pump cut out switch or the grounded ignition
switch.  both of these can be hidden, I have sometimes taken the rotor with
me in my luggage when leaving my van in the airport parking lots.

Another good one is a safety wired to the interior lamp that allows you to
open the door with the engine running (car jacked) and the vehicle only runs
for another 30 seconds, allowing you to call 911 and get away.

Doug


----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Oxroad" <Oxroad@aol.com>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2004 1:59 PM
Subject: Re: how do you break into a vanagon?


> I don't know a good way. But I would sure like to suggest that this thread
is
> responded to privately rather than on the list.
>
> Having easy ways to break into a vanagon in the archives, and having it
pop
> up when someone searches either Google or the archives with "break in
vanagon"
> makes me a little nervous. Getting into a vehicle cleanly gives a theif
plenty
> of time to steal it as no one passing by is alerted by a shattered window
or
> anything suspicious. It looks like a guy sitting in "his" (or her to be
fair)
> car. And I'm tired of going to the Cop shop to fill out Police reports for
my
> car getting broken into. My bus has actually not been broken into,
although my
> Fox has twice and the hubcaps have been stolen once.
>
> I don't know if this is a common method and/or if it would work on the
> Vanagon, but they got into my Fox by smashing the window. It was pretty
effective.
>
> Incidentlally a kid pulled up in my neighborhood in an 85 Toyota with my
Fox
> hubcaps on his car the day after they were stolen. After a short talk he
> helped me put them back on my car. As for the busted windows, I'm still
picking
> glass out of the inside of the car and will be forever.
>
> My buddy in Burbank this weekend had his mostly mint 87 Toyato stolen and
run
> into a tree and totaled. The theives got about a 1/2 mile before totalling
> the car. Some places, and this is one of them, we have to worry about
educating
> theives in the art of wrong doing..
>
> And as far as the break ins to my car, I finally got smart. I park "NY
style"
> with the glove box open and empty and the ashtray the same way. Lst time
they
> stole the ashtray change. The bus empty and the cabinets are all open.
>
> I've never minded being poor. I just hate living with poor people.
>
> Best
> Jeff
> 83.5 Westfalia
> LA,CA
>
>
> In a message dated 4/15/2004 1:32:52 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
> theburnvictims@HOTMAIL.COM writes:
>
>
> > i've locked my keys in my vanagon one time, and i tried to break in with
a
> > slim-jim, but couldnt do it. luckily i had a spare key available. does
> > anyone know a good way to break in without damaging anything?
> >
> >