damaged door and lock

recently some A-hole pried the lock on the door of my 97 Ranger and
stole the stereo head unit. So, I have some questions: 1- what can be
done to fix it and make it harder to pry in future? 2- can a HU be
installed as a pull-out even though that is not widely availabe now?
TIA
Tom

"I love Edsels" > wrote in message
...
> recently some A-hole pried the lock on the door of my 97 Ranger
> and
> stole the stereo head unit. So, I have some questions: 1- what can
> be
> done to fix it and make it harder to pry in future? 2- can a HU be
> installed as a pull-out even though that is not widely availabe
> now?
> TIA
> Tom
>

Glass breaks. It does no good to make the door any harder to open
when you can go in through a window without setting off an alarm in
many cars. They sell stereo units with removable faces which render
the unit useless without the specific face for that unit. Factory
installed radios learn part of the vehicle identification number so
that they will not work in another vehicle. The Ford supposedly
theft resistant enclosure makes it easier to steal radios. You do
not have to disassemble the dashboard. All you need are the two
tools which you can buy at an auto parts or radio shop. It can even
be done with coathangers bent the right way. Do not put anything in
a vehicle you cannot afford to lose. Thieves will steal the entire
car if you make it too hard to break into where it is parked.


--
Earl F. Parrish

"I love Edsels" > wrote in message
...
> recently some A-hole pried the lock on the door of my 97 Ranger and
> stole the stereo head unit. So, I have some questions: 1- what can be
> done to fix it and make it harder to pry in future? 2- can a HU be
> installed as a pull-out even though that is not widely availabe now?
> TIA
> Tom
>

The harder you make the lock to be pryed in the future, will just mean the
thief will have to try harder to break the lock. Unless you give some
reason to deter the thief, there's no reason to make it difficult. Once
he's started, he's already crossed the point of no return. If the radio
won't come out, he'll have already damaged the dash enough to really ****
you off. I'd rather the radio just come out really easy than have him
destroy the dash and have to replace that too. If you have a radio with a
removable faceplate, take it off every time you get out of your car.

My car was broken into the same as yours less than a year ago. If the thief
wants in, he'll get in. I've removed the locks and handles and installed
door poppers and a keyless entry system.

-Bruce