Woman Scares Off Car Thieves With Her Finger - And Other Recovery Attempts

by Andrea L. Algar
Motorheads Performance

Yes, news went viral last week about a woman cleverly recovered her own stolen car which had been missing for five days. It's always a good feeling when the "good guys" get the upper hand on the "bad guys", but was the risky maneuver something we should attempt?

"Kitty Hold-Up"
Photo Credit:
examiner.com

Seeing her own stolen car in a parking lot, the 50 year old woman from Washington (state) went up to the alleged thieves and demanded that they give her the keys. When they refused, she grabbed one of the men and as she did so, stuck her finger in the back of one, saying she would shoot if he didn't turn over the keys! 

While the bluff did work, and the suspects were apprehended by police, it is generally not a good idea to confront suspected thieves. This woman is lucky that her bluff worked for her.

A 2010 story out of the UK ended quite badly when a 42 year old woman who confronted her alleged thief was run over and killed. There are other tragic stories with similar bad endings if you take the time to look, but every now and then you hear stories where car owners fight back to protect their rides.

Meanwhile, right here in Texas, a car thief was stopped while attempting to steal an SUV from in front of a home in an affluent area of San Antonio. This time the gun was real and the consequences were deadly. In January 2013 the two alleged thieves were brought down by the vehicle owner, with one being injured, the other dying from the gunshot he received. No charges were brought against the vehicle owner since he was protecting his property while the crime was being committed.

The bottom line is you need to assess every situation individually. Guy Algar states, "While we don't recommend taking matters into your own hands, sometimes circumstances force us to do so. We always urge you to first contact the police by calling 9-1-1." As we've discussed in our classic car theft prevention series, "Keeping Your Ride Safe", it's always a wise idea to consider how you would react in  various situations, rehearse what you would do and prepare yourself for a variety of potential outcomes in order to ensure your own safety as well.

REFERENCE:
AOL News - Woman Bluffs Car Thieves Into Returning Her Car
KENS5 - Car Thief Killed, Another Wounded At Stone Oak Home
The Telegraph - Woman Killed After Confronting Car Thief

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Andrea L. Algar is co-owner of a classic car performance and restoration design shop in Leesville, Texas. Motorheads Performance specializes in repairs, maintenance, performance upgrades and restorative work on cars and trucks from the 1920’s through 1970’s. Her husband Guy L. Algar is a Mechanical Engineer with over 25 years experience. He holds 5 ASE Certifications from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence and has been working on old cars and trucks for over 37 years. Together they share their passion for old cars and trucks with other enthusiasts from around the country.

Could VIN Cloning Affect The Classic Car Market?

by Andrea L. Algar
Motorheads Performance

The disturbing new trend of criminals cloning VIN numbers is growing, and it is producing a frustrating number of problems for legitimate car owners nationwide. Could you become victim of an "illegal twin" to your ride?
 

VIN Cloning's Threat To Classic Cars
Photo Credit: newson6.com


If you're not aware of the new method of VIN cloning, you won't be for long. It's on the rise, and is currently used to copy VIN numbers off of legitimate cars that are left in parking lots or other easily accessible public places. The numbers are then used to register stolen vehicles. These newly cloned vehicles can then be used recklessly by the criminals, leaving you holding the bag for speeding tickets or accidents, used to commit a crime, or even to sell the "hot" car for pure profit.

You would be totally unaware that a crime has occurred until you begin receiving parking tickets, speeding tickets, a summons to appear in court, or even arrested for suspicion of involvement in a crime. The consequences can be costly, embarrassing and time-consuming. And, it's happening all over the country.

The FBI broke up a cloning ring in 2009 that had cloned 1,000 stolen cars worth approximately 25 million dollars.  Used car buyers can be duped into receiving stolen property if the VIN of their new purchase turns out to have been cloned. Even though you were unaware that it was a stolen car that had been tampered with, you may find yourself out of a vehicle that you still must make payments on!

In our monthly series, "Keeping Our Rides Safe", our focus is to try to prevent theft of our beloved classic cars, muscle cars and old vintage trucks. Guy Algar elaborates, "In researching this new trend of VIN cloning, we realize that there is little to prevent thieves from applying the same techniques to stolen classic cars. A visit to a car show could provide dozens or even hundreds of VIN numbers which would then be transferred to similar stolen cars, and the owner would be unaware that any type of crime has occurred." It's a frightening thought.

Guy Algar continues, "The rules of theft prevention are sometimes so simple we don't routinely follow them. We're easily lulled into a false sense of security when we're at a car show, a swap meet, or places that are known to be relatively safe. With VIN cloning, we need to be even more aware than ever before." 

Carefully consider these steps to keep your ride safe:

• Know Who Your Friends Are
• How & Where You Store/Park/Garage Your Car
• At-Home Theft Prevention
• On-the-road Theft Prevention
• Insurance Protection
• Do-it-Yourself Theft Deterrents
• Alarms
• Locks
• Car Theft Systems
• Cameras / Video
• Tracking & Recovery Systems

If you're in the market for purchasing a used classic, take the time to check the VIN plate for any signs of tampering such as scratches or alterations to any of the letters or numbers. Try to perform a check of the vehicle's history to make sure that the facts add up. And, be wary if the deals seems to be too good to be true. Thieves who have cloned VIN numbers often sell below market value in order to turn a quick profit.

If you suspect that a newly purchased classic car, muscle car, street rod, antique car or vintage truck may have been cloned because you've started receiving tickets, contact your local police department who can help determine if it is using another vehicle's VIN number. 

REFERENCES:
AOL Autos - Your Car Could Have An Illegal Twin If Thieves Clone The VIN
BBB - VIN Cloning Swindles Luxury Car Buyers
FBI - Steering Clear of Car Cloning

RESOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Classic Car News - Preventing Classic Car Theft: The Big Picture

Classic Car News - Identifying The Potential Classic Car Thief - Know Who Your Friends Are

Classic Car News - How & Where To Park Your Classic Car or Muscle Car In Order To Minimize The Threat of Theft

Classic Car News - At Home Theft Prevention for Your Classic Car or Muscle Car

Classic Car News - On The Road Theft Protection - How to Keep Your Classic Car or Muscle Car Safe While Traveling

Classic Car News - Protect Your Classic Car or Muscle Car From Theft With Specialty Insurance

Classic Car News - Auto Theft Series - Alert to New Theft Method Being Used

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Andrea L. Algar is co-owner of a classic car performance and restoration design shop in Leesville, Texas. Motorheads Performance specializes in repairs, maintenance, performance upgrades and restorative work on cars and trucks from the 1920’s through 1970’s. Her husband Guy L. Algar is a Mechanical Engineer with over 25 years experience. He holds 5 ASE Certifications from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence and has been working on old cars and trucks for over 37 years. Together they share their passion for old cars and trucks with other enthusiasts from around the country.

Auto Theft Series - Alert to New Theft Method Being Used

by Andrea L. Algar
Motorheads Performance

In today's news from Houston, Texas, KHOU.com reports of a new method car thieves are using. Apparently seeing the value of departing from traditional car theft methods and moving a bit more high tech, thieves in the Houston area are combining identity theft with car theft in a strategy that allows for longer retention of cars which can be used for other illegal activities and perhaps smaller risk of getting caught.


Houston's KHOU reports on new form of car theft

The article unveils the clever process of a thief using stolen identification which may include driver's license and credit cards in order to secure a legitimate car rental from a car rental company such as Hertz, Budget, Enterprise and others. The thief can secure a car which can then be used to commit other crimes, or even be sold on the black market for instant cash.

Of course, thieves prefer to use legitimate identification which has been stolen or duplicated from the identity theft victim  because it can take car rental companies quite awhile to catch on to the fact that the car isn't being returned. The rental company then tries to go after the person who had their identity stolen, and the charge would be grand theft auto! They'll also use phony ID's if they can get away with that.

Guy Algar states, "Rental autos are plentiful, and it's a business that deals with out-of-town visitors all the time, especially through the airport rental locations. It's easy pickings for these thieves. And, it makes me think that it won't stop at traditional auto rental companies. Sooner or later, thieves will think it's a great idea to target exotic, vintage and classic rental car rental businesses as well."

According to the article, "Rental cars fetch thieves about $700 per car, according to KHOU-TV, which launched an investigation into the problem. Houston Police Department officer Jim Woods told the news outlet, 'Any stolen vehicle is going to be sold for less than $1,000.' The cars are also being used in the commission of other crimes. For example, a stolen Ford pickup was used in an armed robbery at a T-Mobile store last week in northeast Houston. Some of the cars are also being sold to unsuspecting used-car customers on sites like Craigslist."

I report on this because I think it drives home the point that car thieves will do just about anything to obtain their goal. If it is a classic car, muscle car, vintage truck or other collectible vehicle they want, they will not be stopped easily. My weekly series Keeping Our Rides Safe explores various ways classic car owners can avoid becoming a victim of car theft.

ARTICLE REFERENCES
Classic Car News - Increase in Classic Car and Muscle Car Thefts Have Owners Concerned - New Series Launches on Theft Prevention and Protection
KHOU.com - How Thieves Are Stealing Rental Cars In One U.S. City

RESOURCES FOR THEFT PREVENTION:

Classic Car News - Preventing Class Car Theft: The Big Picture

Classic Car News - Take Caution Where You Take Your Classic Car Or Muscle Car

Classic Car News - Identifying The Potential Classic Car Thief - Know Who Your Friends Are
Classic Car News - How & Where To Park Your Classic or Muscle Car To Minimize The Threat of Theft
Classic Car News - Purchasing Classic Car Insurance - Why You Don't Want To Procrastinate!
Classic Car News - At Home Theft Prevention for Your Classic Car or Muscle Car
Classic Car News - On The Road Theft Protection - How to Keep Your Car Safe While Traveling

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andrea L. Algar is co-owner of a classic car performance and restoration design shop in Leesville, Texas. Motorheads Performance specializes in repairs, maintenance, performance upgrades and restorative work on cars and trucks from the 1920’s through 1970’s. Her husband Guy L. Algar is a Mechanical Engineer with over 25 years experience. He holds 5 ASE Certifications from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence and has been working on old cars and trucks for over 37 years. Together they share their passion for old cars and trucks with other enthusiasts from around the country.

Increase In Classic Car and Muscle Car Thefts Have Owners Concerned

New Series Launches On Theft Prevention & Protection

by Andrea L. Algar
Motorheads Performance

With classic car and muscle car thefts on the rise, owners are rightly becoming very concerned. It seems that every few days we're getting news of a theft.


New Series:
Keeping Our Rides Safe



If you're a regular reader of this blog, you've read several stories recently on stolen cars that are either classic cars, muscle cars, vintage trucks, antique cars, and even pro street race cars! We had reported on a ProStreet Camaro stolen at a hotel near the car show the owner was attending for the weekend, and a fully restored 1954 GMC Pickup truck stolen right out of the owner's driveway. We also reported on a local car jacking. And, just as I was putting the final touches on the first article for this series, new a stolen car alert came out of Fort Worth where a 1937 Buick went missing from a gated townhouse community, and news of Dr. Phil's '55 Chevy Belair convertible being stolen from the Burbank auto shop he had taken it to for repairs! Owners have good reason to be concerned.

Guy Algar and I, through Classic Car News, are launching a new series called "Keeping Our Rides Safe". Each week we'll look at a different aspect of keeping our classic cars out of the hands of would-be thieves. We'll begin with the basics of theft prevention, theft protection, insurance, self-deterrent steps, safety outside the home, alarms, locks, anti-theft devices, tracking and recovery systems and more. We will take a close look at each in detail, as well as reporting on new products and systems that can help, interviews with law enforcement, reader stories and more.

All this is designed with the classic car or muscle car owner in mind, as our needs are a quite different than the average modern car driver.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andrea L. Algar is co-owner of a classic car performance and restoration design shop in Leesville, Texas. Motorheads Performance specializes in repairs, maintenance, performance upgrades and restorative work on cars and trucks from the 1920’s through 1970’s. Her husband Guy L. Algar is a Mechanical Engineer with over 25 years experience. He holds 5 ASE Certifications from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence and has been working on old cars and trucks for over 37 years. Together they share their passion for old cars and trucks with other enthusiasts from around the country.