Crissy Field Theft Alert

madspaniard · Joined: 23 May 2005 Posts: 380

Mark,

when are we gonna see you in Berkeley? It was fun yesterday and we always have a cold one waiting to be opened Very Happy

All those guys from SoCa talking about politics in iwindsurf should move up north for more windy days, no time for politics after a good session

pthorner · Joined: 29 Mar 1994 Posts: 164

My 2001 VW Passat and my 2005 Honda Odyssey both came with valet keys that do not include an alarm fob. I don't know if they have a chip in the key, but in both cases the valet key will unlock and start the car. I probably sailed 200+ session wearing the passat key around my neck and another 120 with the Odyssey key and they never had an issue working and never looked corroded. When I went to VW for a new remote keyto replace one I lost, I think they wanted something like $250-$300 for the key and then $150 to cut it and another $150 to program it. Needless to say, I passed. My Honda remote key has been through the washing machine a couple of times and still works great, so you might not be up the creek if you sail with your remote key in a bag and get a small amount of water on it.

Peter

kevinkan · Joined: 07 Jun 2001 Posts: 1661 Location: San Francisco

alexorjona · Joined: 20 Jun 1999 Posts: 10

We had a van stolen at Steamers Lane, Santa Cruz last year. The thief broke a window to get in and either used a filed off blank (Later when we got some of the van back there was a filed off blank lying on the floor) to jimmy the ignition ...or found my "carefully" hidden spare. Since we have found out that this is a pretty common and more easy theft to do than we had figured. At surfing sites we all commonly watch the guy parked near us hide his key in one of the several, obvious favorite spots and take off all happy for the water and a maybe 2 hour session....what an obvious set-up!
So....don't leave obvious valueables......don't hide a key that will work...have an alarm that works ...have a device that prevents the car from being driven away. Park carefully. The key on a string thing is hard to bea....be obvious about taking your key with you.

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

I also Lojacked my WS vehicle. I've put way too much work into it that insurance won't cover to let some thief get a free pass if he defeats everything else.

\m/

aengusm · Joined: 25 Mar 2006 Posts: 2

I always bring the key with me when I am on the water. I once took the whole remote with me but I guess the watertight bag was not good enough! It took a few days to dry the remote out and get it back working again. However, in the process I realized that you can separate the key from the remote. Putting the key around your neck and inside your wetsuit is much safer than hiding it on land! Embarassed

isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

A satellite-based tracking system. If my vehicle gets stolen, I can phone or e-mail "the system" and it will tell the police exactly where the vehicle is. IIRC, I can also disable the vehicle via the system.

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isobars · Joined: 12 Dec 1999 Posts: 20935

I don't remember, because I had it installed along with alarm system, bluetooth phone link, kill switch, and pager. There are also several brands competing with Lojack, such as Viper's GPS tracking system. They cost hundreds, plus activation, plus a monthly charge or a charge when used. The array of features and charges is very broad; I just want to be able to find it and disable it if stolen. A good alarm shop can outfit a vehicle with just about any level of protection and tracking desired. Unfortunately, that doesn't include an undetectable, quickly-dissipating, lethal gas or a foolproof land mine beneath the driver's seat.

\m/

MikeWright · Joined: 24 Mar 2007 Posts: 98 Location: HB, CA

Dude-
If you are a kiter, windsurfer, surfer, ect, you should never bring your wallet to the beach and put your key on your body. I would think all wetsuits.board shorts have a sealed pouch for a key. I never bring my wallet to the beach when I surf or kite. I just bring 20 bucks or so in cash. 3 times broken into will do that. There are teams of guys that work every area. They have binoculars and they know who's stashing keys. You rig up, they hit your wallet, take one credit card and split. Some people have no idea for days that they've been taken. most of them do not want the car, they want the cards, so don't bring your wallet to the beach. I'm in HB by the way

theq · Joined: 10 Apr 2000 Posts: 707

I have used the Supra brand keysafe for the past few years. Of course, I have the type of handle on my Jeep that you can actually hang it through. The Masterlock brand that someone posted is the same idea. With the Supra you can change the combination to any three letter group you want. I don't know whether or not the Masterlock allows you to change the combo. Just make sure before you buy one, that you have somewhere on the car where you can hang it. Some cars have tow loops underneath that work well. Good "lock" with it.
Sorry to hear about the break in. As the economy worsens, crime generally increases. Protect yourself.
TheQ