Canterbury 4WD thefts.

[MikeL200]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/8144942/Region-leads-in-4WD-theft

[snotgoblin]

Beat me to it Mike...

Seems the Police and media are speculating about potential reasons. All sound feasible though.

Are Nissans the most frequently modified trucks?
Are owners prioritising mods ahead of insurance?
Are Nissans easier to get into than other trucks?

At least Tasman district only had 3, well only 3 reported and recorded as a 4wd theft....

It will be interesting to see what comes out of the Combined meeting, hopefully a couple of strategies to combat this.

[tallsam66]

Combined Clubs have been pushing Police & Media to get some traction on this & are doing the job.
Is NZ4WD Ass doing anything ?????
Probably not !!!

[snotgoblin]

Just been skimming through the Enough is Enough thread under stolen vehicles.

Some theories in there suggest bits are being shipped to the "Middle East", something I would have thought might only be happening with high end and late model vehicles and parts. Not a 1989 Safari/Patrol ...

I would suggest these guys are selling bits locally, if not within Canterbury, certainly within NZ.

For example, the Isuzu Bighorns and some Surfs with the full Recaro interior have been stolen for the seats since they first arrived off the boats from Japan.

[tweake]

the "middle east" and other countries like the old 4x4's as they are easy to work on. also their 4x4's don't rust in the deserts but they do need replacement mechanicals.
remember the crowd in auckland that was stealing toyotas for that reason.

however middle east 4x4's are almost all petrol not diesels.

[Mudde1]

Combined Clubs have been pushing Police & Media to get some traction on this & are doing the job.
Is NZ4WD Ass doing anything ?????
Probably not !!!

PM sent
Tony Burgess
president NZFWDA

[hosehustler]

Someone had a go at my landcruiser recently, damaged the drivers door lock but either disturbed or gave up, lock now repaired

[wjw]

Someone had a go at my landcruiser recently, damaged the drivers door lock but either disturbed or gave up, lock now repaired

Same thing happened to mine a year or so ago

[tallsam66]

If any NZ4WD Ass members are concerned about this i suggest you contact your Ass. & ask them to do what they can to help.

[ladeda]

Someone had a go at my landcruiser recently, damaged the drivers door lock but either disturbed or gave up, lock now repaired

Same thing happened to mine a year or so ago

Iv used solex locks on my rx7 in the past, they are good cos ya cant get a screwdriver into them, only downside is one key for door and one for ign. still recomend them tho.

[callum007]

Dunedin.. lock vehicle? my keys still in igniTION.

[tycho]

Howdy,
I went with this GPS tracker:
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/e11051.m4 ... AUS%3A1123

Great price with the exchange rate as it is.

You can set it up to send an alarm as soon as the vehicle is moved, powered on or even a door opened. Great map link for locating also. Other circuit that you can use to remote disabled fuel pump or sound the horn etc etc.

First one disappeared in China Mail but supplier sent another via Singapore Mail (cost US$8 postage). Basic instal pretty easy and great functionality. About $20 a year for a Vodafone SIM card. You can get pretty creative as to where you install the unit and antennas. Gets a good signal even inside closed garage which none of my other GPS devices do.

[ging]

they don't bother buying stolen 4wds too export.. they are turning over millions a year why would they risk there business buying stolen 4wds too export ,

[tallsam66]

Greed is why & once cars are in bits very hard to trace

they don't bother buying stolen 4wds too export.. they are turning over millions a year why would they risk there business buying stolen 4wds too export ,

[stealth]

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/24420 ... op-arrests

A Dunedin wrecker was involed, not sure which one but, the the ruomer mill has said it the arabs, that buy all the deisals down here and export them

[Dirtydog]

Yay someone has finally been caught,

had a feeling it was a bit bigger than some petty theft.

i wonder if there are any more around?

[mike]

I would imagine. These are the ones gone since new years in canterbury

SG5123 1989 Red Landrover RANGE ROVER <<< 2013-01-31 >>> Canterbury
WO9766 1989 Grey Toyota HILUX <<< 2013-01-28 >>> Canterbury
AWH736 1992 Green Nissan SAFARI <<< 2013-01-27 >>> Canterbury
ZU4703 1990 Green Nissan TERRANO <<< 2013-01-24 >>> Canterbury
CEH443 2003 Green Ford COURIER <<< 2013-01-22 >>> Canterbury
RJ5092 1992 Blue Toyota HILUX 2.8 D/CAB <<< 2013-01-21 >>> Canterbury
XN2810 1995 Green Nissan TERRANO <<< 2013-01-19 >>> Canterbury
RX9504 1988 Grey Toyota HILUX <<< 2013-01-17 >>> Canterbury
SA7366 1993 Silver Toyota HILUX 2.8D/C <<< 2013-01-16 >>> Canterbury
TE1194 1992 Gold Nissan TERRANO R3M <<< 2013-01-15 >>> Canterbury
DRL652 1995 Blue Toyota HILUX <<< 2013-01-13 >>> Canterbury
UJ3819 1996 White Toyota HILUX <<< 2013-01-12 >>> Canterbury
ZP4179 1989 Grey Toyota HILUX <<< 2013-01-08 >>> Canterbury
GLM912 1991 Blue Toyota HILUX <<< 2013-01-07 >>> Canterbury
XK7188 1994 Blue Toyota HILUX <<< 2012-12-31 >>> Canterbury


The run of hilux's is alarming.

But whats more alarming is some bastard stole a Rangie!

[MikeL200]

Just paint Mitsubishi across the back, nobody steals those.

[ging]

they don't buy stolen 4wds and they wont. no matter how cheap it is i am incontact with them all the time. there yards get checked 2 times a week by the police and they go thru all the books. no vin / body tag they won't by.

[OVERSZ]

Combined Canterbury has had a meeting with Senior Sargent Det John Rae

John is in charge of Volume Crime and vehicle theft come under his umbrella.
John pointed out that he too is concerned at the high number of 4WD thefts in Canterbury as he too is an owner of a 4WD.

These are notes from the meeting. If anyone needs a point expanding I will do my best to answer.

Senior Sergeant started off with some stats.
-most stolen make is Nissan.
-Non Recovery of vehicles last year increased.
-Recovered rate went from 34% down to 26%.
-25% of all 4wd vehicles in NZ are in Canterbury.
-Most popular Decade at the present to be stolen is the 90’s vehicles.
-High population areas have high stolen car rates.
John explained the ins and outs of the car theft world and how they have been trying to catch the scrap metal dealers and the like not accurately keeping records.
He pointed out many times that if there is no market there would be many fewer thefts.
They have done several “stings”. Successful the first time (12 individuals locked up) but nothing the second time.

If a yard buys a car for scrap they can send it overseas straight away but if you strip it down as parts you have to hold those parts for 14 days before you can legally sell them.
While Egypt appears to be a destination talked about it is more likely the gateway to Africa.
Vehicles stolen in Chch may well be put in a container and shipped out of Auckland or Tauranga. Stripping down a shipping container normally produces no results as parts seldom have identification.
There is a list of stolen vehicles on the Police web site that is updated 3x a day. http://www.police.govt.nz/stolen/vehicles
He said that it is hard to identify vehicles once they have been stripped down for parts.
Mirco dotting was discussed. A spray can with dots in it. Good method. Remember to put some inside your tyres.
Jamie asked if more staff would help to stop thefts. John’s response was yes it would help but what Police force in the world has enough staff to do all tasks to their full capability.
John seems to think prevention is the Key.
Kerry asked what rights does a person have if their vehicle is been stolen off their property. The answer was they can use responsible force to protect their property.
John mentioned that a “bait 4wd” was left in town for several days but was not taken.
It was also said that if your vehicle has been stolen to give the police as much information as possible. Suggestions. Try and stamp or use something similar to identify parts off your vehicle.

We then listened to an Alarm expert
Pat Dollen spoke
Security system is only as good as it has been installed.
Suggested a kill switch that has 2 or 3 ways of demobilizing the vehicle. There are lots of “Cowboys” out there.
Alarms have a star rating from 1-5 but this system seems not to be working.
GPS Units talked about. There is not device that can screen/block or jamb the GPS signal as a lot of people believe.
The biggest thing that Pat could suggest is self-protection
lock vehicle when not in it,like at the dairy or gas station. any protection is better than no protection.
How many vehicles are out there with a door key similar to yours? Or how worn is your ignition.

Combined is arranging a discount on Installation of Alarms and GPS tracking.

Cheers

Graham
Chairman Combined 4WD

[hosehustler]

A couple of years back I rolled my old beam axle 2 door surf, I bought an IFS surf legitimately from an insurance company, used the body to do a body swap on my vehicle, it was legally re-vinned by VINZ, I then stripped the chassis of all I needed/wanted.
I loaded the IFS chassis onto a car transporter, sat what was left the rolled body on top of that and took it to a scrap metal yard for disposal.
they weighed me on the way in, took the whole lot off the trailer with a big claw, it all went straight into their shredder from the trailer and was coming out as chips of metal while I was driving out, they weighed me again and paid me cash for the scrap.
There was no checks of numbers, nothing and all chipped before I left.
How many stolen ones end up like that

[lincooln]

A couple of years back I rolled my old beam axle 2 door surf, I bought an IFS surf legitimately from an insurance company, used the body to do a body swap on my vehicle, it was legally re-vinned by VINZ, I then stripped the chassis of all I needed/wanted.
I loaded the IFS chassis onto a car transporter, sat what was left the rolled body on top of that and took it to a scrap metal yard for disposal.
they weighed me on the way in, took the whole lot off the trailer with a big claw, it all went straight into their shredder from the trailer and was coming out as chips of metal while I was driving out, they weighed me again and paid me cash for the scrap.
There was no checks of numbers, nothing and all chipped before I left.
How many stolen ones end up like that

I had a very similar thing happen too, no checks etc. weigh, pickup, weigh, pay, gone. And this was at a big brand yard

[tallsam66]

Way to go Combined Clubs ...you are the only ones actuallly doing something !!!

[mumbls]

........
How many stolen ones end up like that

Stolen bodies an chassis maybe, but not very lucrative return for whole cars driven straight to scrappers with high chance of being caught

I know of an export yard in auckland buys radiator/engine box/transfer/shafts/diffs/ brake booster for diseasel. Paying ~1800 cash for any jap light diesel trucks nissan/toyota/mitsi/isuzu - and same for hilux/hiace/landcruiser/patrol/safaris even old bedford trucks/
exported to anywhere from asia/africa/middle east

samller cars older corallars [e series] stripped worth 500 total.
good money in recycling vehicles even if your paying for them.

Look for the overladen trailors or old trucks heading up SH1 with diffs engines boxes stacked up 4 high...

[OVERSZ]

Further to my earlier Post.

If you buy a 2nd hand part from someone other than a legit dealer, like off Trademe or Sella, maybe buy sell and exchange and when you pick it up it the feel is not right. Then let the police know. When they can they say they will follow up.
Live next door, or down the road from someone that has noises coming from the garage late at night or all night. Vehicles going to these places you dont see again. Let the police know. They actually catch a good number from tip offs.
They cant do everything. I've heard it said, the police should do something about this. Chances are until someone tells them they dont know.
Keep vigilant.

Cheers

Graham
Chairman
Combined 4WD Clubs

[OVERSZ]

At our Combined meeting Pat Dolan from Auto Sound and Security spoke about protecting our trucks from theft.

Here is his follow up email to me. Note the discount at the bottom and when you go to get a quote make sure they know it is a result of them taking the time to offer some good advice.

As with most things in this life you tend to get what you pay for. The GPS tracker that I displayed is much more complex than the 3 wire cheapie that the police officer referred to.Our one will not only give you the location details but will permit disabling by text control, will permit geo fencing and wont give false messages in the event of delays in getting a legitimate engine start.

Both the alarm systems and tracking systems that we install are low margin and highly labour intensive [because we take too much care with the installation]
• The alarms take a whole day to fit
• We have a loan vehicle
• We can alternatively provide a lift to work or to home [provided it is not Kaikoura]
• Your members would not be returning because of the alarm
• Grant here is an expert in configuring alarms into 24 volt or complex vehicles
• We try hard to not over specify ie we wont recommend a top level alarm if the risk is low
• We only install alarms that we are supplying and thus have confidence in their capability
• The NZ Star rating system for alarms is falling into disrepair so we are also installing alarms that have been approved by Thatcham in the UK. These UK standards are much tougher than the NZ ones. What that means is that burglars would find it a lot harder to steal.
• As a mark of confidence for your members we are MTA Assured.
For your members, we would provide a 10% discount on all alarm and gps installations.
For all audio requirements your members would receive a 15% discount on stocked items, provided they are not already on "special"

We don't "do cheap" though.

At all times we would endeavour to give your members priority on installation.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if anything of the above needs clarification. I promise that my next response will be a lot quicker.

Kind regards
Pat Dolan
Auto Sound and Security
www.autosound.co.nz
Ph 03 365 2360

[Jerry]

Mirco dotting was discussed. A spray can with dots in it. Good method. Remember to put some inside your tyres.

Are these still avaliable in NZ? Does the NZ Police etc hold a database of these?

Alarms have a star rating from 1-5 but this system seems not to be working.

The rating system doesnt exist anymore
http://vehiclesecurity.co.nz/blog/nzsa- ... being-used

[Jerry]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/ne ... -last-year