Message-Id: <Ueyjv1e00iQX53PW8D@andrew.cmu.edu>
Date: Fri,  6 Nov 1992 18:24:49 -0500 (EST)
From: Anand Patwardhan <ap10+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
To: Harry.Bovik@cs.cmu.edu
Subject: Auto anti-theft devices - Summary


Here is a summary of responses to my original post concerning passive
auto anti-theft devices. Original post:

Excerpts from cmu.misc.market.transportation: 16-Oct-92 Auto anti-theft
devices Anand Patwardhan@andrew. (249)

> Hi all

> I am in search of recommendations, suggestions, and experiences
> about the "club", the "hook" and such assorted passive anti-theft devices.
> Needless to say, I shall compile a summary of the responses.

> Thanks much

> Anand Patwardhan
> EPP
> x5617


-------Begin summary-------

Responses to auto-anti theft devices post:

---------
#1
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 15:49:11 -0400 (EDT)
From: J Roland Defilippi <jd1y+@andrew.cmu.edu>
To: Anand Patwardhan <ap10+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Auto anti-theft devices

The club, the older steering wheel to brake locks, and most of the other
commercially available devices that disable a control physically suffer
from a simple problem:  the steering wheel is a 3/16" round steel section
covered in plastic, which can be easily cut with bolt cutters, etc.

The LoJack system, now available in most east coast cities has one of the
better anti-theft interlocks I've seen.  In order to start the car, you
must operate a series of the car's own controls to start the vehicle
(eg: turn the radio on and off, and flash the high beams twice, then turn
the key to start).  (The LoJack system also has a tracking beacon that
is activated when the car is reported stolen, but that won't do you any good
out here.)  If you wish to deter potential thieves, get a blinking red
light and mount it into the dash--people will think you have an alarm.
if you want to keep your car, disable the ignition system first, as a
starter can always be shorted with a screwdriver.  I have often wired
the car so that when you try to start the car, the horn blows if you have
disabled the cutoof system.

The down and dirty approach is to put in a manual fule valve someplace
that cannot easily be seen, but that can be easily accessed.

With any system you implement, ease of use is of ultimate importance.  If
you have to go under the hood to shut off a fule valve, you will only use
it when you are leaving town for a month.  The club and other physical
devices pose the same problem: you will not bother with it when you
are just running into the mall for 5 minutes. . . .

Please let me know the results of your survey.

--Roland

roland+@arc.cmu.edu

----------
#2
From: Cam Miller <cam@gauss.ece.cmu.edu>
To: ap10@andrew.cmu.edu
Subject: anti-theft devices
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 92 12:01:58 -0400


If you are a member of AAA, they will give you all kinds of info.

But, basically, they sent me to Ace Lock & Key in East Liberty (partly
because if you are a AAA member you get a 15% discount from Ace) and partly
because they have a good selection of devices.

Turns out the best device is NOT The Club as you see advertized all the
time.  The best is made by a company called Wolo.  They make different kinds
of devices depending on the kind of car/truck you drive.  Some cars can only
take one kind of device (mine is one of those) but some can use a couple of
different kinds.  A neighbor of mine just bought one I had never seen before
for his truck - he said it was new.

My Wolo not only locks in the middle, like The Club, but one end wraps
around the steering wheel and also locks. They are also thicker than The
Club.  My device, which is the nearest in comparison, cost the same as The
Club (about $50.)

When I bought the Wolo I also had my dealer put a kill switch on my car.
They ended up doing it for free because they were doing about $1000 worth of
work on my door and steering column as a result of an attempted theft and
had to wait some extra time for a part - so they threw the kill switch in as a
freebie.  They cost about $100 I understand.

They can hide it up under your dash somewhere and if it is flipped off by
you when you leave the car, it cuts off the electrical supply from the
ignition to the engine.  It's not perfect, but it is one more deterent.

-------
#3
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 92 10:47:02 EDT
From: gap@TRICERATOPS.SOAR.CS.CMU.EDU

Anand,

The number one type of car that seems to be stolen in
my area are those made by GM. Especially those with the
tilt steering wheel, which is an almost impossible to not
get option. GM cars can be stolen in about 20 seconds if
you have a reasonably good screwdriver. It does wreck the
steering column but apparently the theives don't care. 

Knowing this I still bought a GM car. However after talking
with the local police, I also bought a collar. The collar
fits around the plastic portion of the steering wheel and 
provides exactly the protection that GM, IMHO should be providing.
The collar can be bought at variaou places, I got mine at
Broadway Auto Parts in East Liberty. I think it was about
$70. Broadway Auto Parts has an example of a collar that someone
tried to defeat on display. It is impressive, but if someone
tried that hard to get the damn thing off, the car is probably
wrecked also.

The police reccomended it because it was the right device for
my car, and it had never to their knowledge been defeated. 
I have heard that with a can of freon you can break the lock
on the CLUB. Probably also destroy a little bit of the local 
ozone also. I do not know why this doesn't work on the lock
for my collar. Maybe it is a substantially better lock.

Gary

-------
#4
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 10:31:00 -0400 (EDT)
From: Henry Christopher Frey <hf09+@andrew.cmu.edu>

Anand:


I have a cheapie "crook hook" that connects the steering wheel and the brake
pedal.  My car has never been stolen, but it has been broken into twice.
Once, the radio was stolen, and the other time a jacket was stolen.  On the
first occasion, the thieves decided it wasn't enough to just steal the radio
-- they also felt the need to vandalize the car.  So they apparently spent a
fair amount of energy kicking the crook hook, because it was significantly
bent.  The severely overweight Pittsburgh Police officer who eventually
sauntered over to check out the theft suggested not using the crook hook,
because he believed that in many cases the steering column and/or brake
pedal have been seriously damaged in such instances of vandalism.  He also
offered, however, that there was basically nothing that the police would do
about the stolen radio, and that the thieves would never be caught nor would
my radio be recovered.  The bottom line seemed to be: don't protect your
car, but if you don't, there is nothing we (the police) are going to do
about it if it is stolen.

The main advantage of the Club over what I have is that it is visible
through the windshield.  The secondary advantage is that it is less likely
that the car would sustain serious damage from vandalism.  However, a
professional thief who really wants a specific car can of course cut the
steering wheel, in which case neither the crook hook nor the club would be
effective.  I have never heard of such a theft, so I don't know if that is
really much of a concern.

If you do decide to use a crook hook, make sure the design is such that one
cannot simply bend the steering wheel to dislodge it.  My crook hook has a
double hook that wraps around the steering wheel for this purpose.

The other aspect of reducing the risk of auto theft is to be smart about
where you park your car.  Even so, I would definitely recommend that you
*always* use a club or a crook hook.  If I were buying a new
theft-protection device today, I'd probably lean toward the club.


Chris

------
#5
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 92 10:04:05 EDT
From: Hank Walker <dmw@taurus.ece.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Auto anti-theft devices

Cheap:  The Club.  Cost ~$50-60.  Available lots of stores.  Won't stop them
from stealing the stereo.

Expensive:  Clifford, Cost $300-500.  Installed by specialty stores, e.g.
Ace Lock and Key.  Siren goes off if someone tries to break into car,
cut-off switch, lots of options including a beaper to tell you if someone is
trying to break into the car.

Consumer Reports has an annual feature on car alarms.

-------
#6
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 09:57:11 -0400 (EDT)
From: Joy Banks <jbcn+@andrew.cmu.edu>
To: Anand Patwardhan <ap10+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Auto anti-theft devices

Hi.

We learned from experience about theft control.  We had a truck stolen in
Florida (much higher auto theft % than PA) almost two years ago - it still
hasn't been found and we lost big bucks on it.  It was a Chevy.  After this,
we wanted to get major theft control on our Blazer.  We did a lot of
research on car alarms and then called several policemen for opinions.  All
of the cops we talked to (some with specialization in the auto theft area)
recommended "The Club."  We were told only to get the brand name version.
We looked at the other less expensive ones, but wanted to be safe this time.
The latest news on clubs is that some theifs have some sort of spray that
will break the lock on the club - don't know if this works, but they can
always use bolt cutters (most will not go to the trouble) if they gotta have
YOUR car.  We now have two clubs and still have two cars, as a result.  They
are easy to use, but one negative thing is that they only come with two keys
and we haven't had any luck finding anyone who can copy them (for trucks).
You should get this gadget immediately.  Good luck.


Joy  

-------
#7
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 92 18:05:38 EDT
From: michal@GS58.SP.CS.CMU.EDU


The Club apparently offers very limited protection: it is not all
that hard to break, the steering wheel can be cut, and I wouldn't be
surprised if the lock were easy to pick too. 

I don't know of any good theft preventions system, but definitely,
try to find something other than the Club.

The club will only save you if there is a similar, but unprotected
car next to yours. Otherwise, the thief will get rid of it in seconds.

Michal

--------
#8
Date: Mon, 19 Oct 1992 09:35:53 -0400 (EDT)
From: Conrad Poelman <conradp+@CMU.EDU>
To: Anand Patwardhan <ap10+@andrew.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re: Auto anti-theft devices

Anand,


My car was recently stolen from Schenley Park, even though I had the Club on 
the car.  The Club is solid, tempered steel, and very hard to destroy, 
although I've heard rumors that they can be frozen by spraying them with 
freon, and then shattered with  a hammer.  Anyway, the thief simply brought 
along a hacksaw and sawed through the STEERING WHEEL, then bent the steering 
wheel to take the club off.  So not only was my car still stolen, but it was 
more extensively damaged because I had the Club on.  Also, make sure you read 
the fine print in the Club's warranty - it's only valid for one year from the 
date of purchase.


I still think it's a good deterrent against novice theives, but it's by no 
means foolproof.


--Conrad