Theft Hot List

On Wed, 20 Oct 2004, Bill 2 wrote:

> Chrysler has traditionally had easily defeatable ignition systems making
> them really easy to steal. Good for joyriders. Especially early 90's
> Chryslers, but they're started to get less common. I'd estimate 50% of
> Acclaims / Sundances / Voyagers owners use "The Club" because of this.

You've just jogged my memory -- I remember taking my old Valiant in for an
insurance adjustor inspection and seeing a direct-replacement
high-security ignition lock assembly for Chrysler vehicles with the
Accustar steering column (basically all '90-'95, with Jeeps and some
trucks going later than that). No idea who made it or where to get
one...sound familiar to anyone?

"Scott en Aztlán" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 20 Oct 2004 01:23:45 -0400, "Dave Stone" <n=> wrote:
>
> >Saturns were getting stolen like crazy near where I live, well for a
period
> >of about 2 weeks or so. I thought I read that the 95 SL was near the top
of
> >the theft list according to one report this past year..but I could be
wrong.
>
> I read the article; seems they were trivially easy to steal with some
> kind of special device.

"Skeleton key"? You can buy those off the internet for several makes. Easy
to unlock / start a car, and no damage done to the vehicle. It is cut on a
normal key so you can get copies made at any key cutting kiosk.

> But once the novelty wore off, even those
> thefts stopped after only two weeks - probably no market for them, and
> they are too boring for a joy ride.

Plymouth Acclaims are still frequently stolen around here (joyrides /
getaway vehicles). Just the other day someone driving a stolen Labaron hit
another car and killed the driver. It was the 20th time this teen stole a
car this year. Chances are a good number were Chryslers, because once a
joyrider learns how to steal a certain type of car, they will continue to do
so.

Oh, and as for our quality legal system. Two days prior to this recent
incident he was released from custody on another charge, even though the
parents were begging to have their son kept in the slammer, and he has a
looooooooooooooooooong record.

Today he was released under house-arrest on another charge.

Do they not get it? He will continue to commit crimes. Even after he has
killed someone, the public isn't being protected from him.

> "Under normal circumstance," Sheriff Minzey continued, "the past
> practice was to punch in the ignition, or pull it and try to figure
> out how to bypass the ignition that's in there.

One can use a pair of pliers. At least that's how the Chryslers work.

"Scott en Aztlán" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 20 Oct 2004 01:23:45 -0400, "Dave Stone" <n=> wrote:
>
> >Saturns were getting stolen like crazy near where I live, well for a
period
> >of about 2 weeks or so. I thought I read that the 95 SL was near the top
of
> >the theft list according to one report this past year..but I could be
wrong.
>
> I read the article; seems they were trivially easy to steal with some
> kind of special device.

"Skeleton key"? You can buy those off the internet for several makes. Easy
to unlock / start a car, and no damage done to the vehicle. It is cut on a
normal key so you can get copies made at any key cutting kiosk.

> But once the novelty wore off, even those
> thefts stopped after only two weeks - probably no market for them, and
> they are too boring for a joy ride.

Plymouth Acclaims are still frequently stolen around here (joyrides /
getaway vehicles). Just the other day someone driving a stolen Labaron hit
another car and killed the driver. It was the 20th time this teen stole a
car this year. Chances are a good number were Chryslers, because once a
joyrider learns how to steal a certain type of car, they will continue to do
so.

Oh, and as for our quality legal system. Two days prior to this recent
incident he was released from custody on another charge, even though the
parents were begging to have their son kept in the slammer, and he has a
looooooooooooooooooong record.

Today he was released under house-arrest on another charge.

Do they not get it? He will continue to commit crimes. Even after he has
killed someone, the public isn't being protected from him.

> "Under normal circumstance," Sheriff Minzey continued, "the past
> practice was to punch in the ignition, or pull it and try to figure
> out how to bypass the ignition that's in there.

One can use a pair of pliers. At least that's how the Chryslers work.

"Bill 2" > wrote in message
...
>
> "James C. Reeves" > wrote in message
> ...
> > The HLDI released it's list of cars based on how likely they are to be
> stolen.
> > Among the top 5 are two Cadillac SUX/XUV models and the Nissan Maxima,
> which I
> > guess makes some sense. The Cadillac's have expensive wheels and are
> often
> > recovered without the wheels and the Maxims has the HID headlamps that
are
> a
> > perfect fit to the older Maximas. But also on the list are the Dodge
> > Stratus/Chrysler Sebring (same basic car). What is so special about
those
> that
> > thieves are interested in?
>
> Chrysler has traditionally had easily defeatable ignition systems making
> them really easy to steal. Good for joyriders. Especially early 90's
> Chryslers, but they're started to get less common. I'd estimate 50% of
> Acclaims / Sundances / Voyagers owners use "The Club" because of this.
>
Sounds like you live in Boston. I didn't think 50% of anybody used the "the
club", let alone anybody driving a dull car. Even if you could easily steal
a sundance, why would you bother?

"Bill 2" > wrote in message
...
>
> "James C. Reeves" > wrote in message
> ...
> > The HLDI released it's list of cars based on how likely they are to be
> stolen.
> > Among the top 5 are two Cadillac SUX/XUV models and the Nissan Maxima,
> which I
> > guess makes some sense. The Cadillac's have expensive wheels and are
> often
> > recovered without the wheels and the Maxims has the HID headlamps that
are
> a
> > perfect fit to the older Maximas. But also on the list are the Dodge
> > Stratus/Chrysler Sebring (same basic car). What is so special about
those
> that
> > thieves are interested in?
>
> Chrysler has traditionally had easily defeatable ignition systems making
> them really easy to steal. Good for joyriders. Especially early 90's
> Chryslers, but they're started to get less common. I'd estimate 50% of
> Acclaims / Sundances / Voyagers owners use "The Club" because of this.
>
Sounds like you live in Boston. I didn't think 50% of anybody used the "the
club", let alone anybody driving a dull car. Even if you could easily steal
a sundance, why would you bother?

"Joe" > wrote in message
...
> "Bill 2" > wrote in message

> > Chrysler has traditionally had easily defeatable ignition systems making
> > them really easy to steal. Good for joyriders. Especially early 90's
> > Chryslers, but they're started to get less common. I'd estimate 50% of
> > Acclaims / Sundances / Voyagers owners use "The Club" because of this.
> >
> Sounds like you live in Boston.

Halifax

> I didn't think 50% of anybody used the "the
> club", let alone anybody driving a dull car. Even if you could easily
steal
> a sundance, why would you bother?

Joyride / getaway vehicle. Easy to steal and fairly popular. On my street
there are probably about 5 early 90's Chryslers waiting to be stolen.

"Joe" > wrote in message
...
> "Bill 2" > wrote in message

> > Chrysler has traditionally had easily defeatable ignition systems making
> > them really easy to steal. Good for joyriders. Especially early 90's
> > Chryslers, but they're started to get less common. I'd estimate 50% of
> > Acclaims / Sundances / Voyagers owners use "The Club" because of this.
> >
> Sounds like you live in Boston.

Halifax

> I didn't think 50% of anybody used the "the
> club", let alone anybody driving a dull car. Even if you could easily
steal
> a sundance, why would you bother?

Joyride / getaway vehicle. Easy to steal and fairly popular. On my street
there are probably about 5 early 90's Chryslers waiting to be stolen.

Heard on the news this morning that here in Canada the #1 stolen car is
the Subaru WRX. One of the Caddies was #2.
Brian, in Cedar

"James C. Reeves" > wrote in message
...
> The HLDI released it's list of cars based on how likely they are to be
> stolen.
> Among the top 5 are two Cadillac SUX/XUV models and the Nissan Maxima,
> which I
> guess makes some sense. The Cadillac's have expensive wheels and are
> often
> recovered without the wheels and the Maxims has the HID headlamps that are
> a
> perfect fit to the older Maximas. But also on the list are the Dodge
> Stratus/Chrysler Sebring (same basic car). What is so special about those
> that
> thieves are interested in?
>
>
>

Heard on the news this morning that here in Canada the #1 stolen car is
the Subaru WRX. One of the Caddies was #2.
Brian, in Cedar

"James C. Reeves" > wrote in message
...
> The HLDI released it's list of cars based on how likely they are to be
> stolen.
> Among the top 5 are two Cadillac SUX/XUV models and the Nissan Maxima,
> which I
> guess makes some sense. The Cadillac's have expensive wheels and are
> often
> recovered without the wheels and the Maxims has the HID headlamps that are
> a
> perfect fit to the older Maximas. But also on the list are the Dodge
> Stratus/Chrysler Sebring (same basic car). What is so special about those
> that
> thieves are interested in?
>
>
>