Quote:
Originally Posted by Flying Ace
The good news is, this wave of car theft hasn't hit US yet. Perhaps its because we don't live within driving distance of eastern Europe where many of these cars' final destination is or that these cars aren't that expensive for thieves to even care about boosting cars. Moving cars in large volumes to Central and South America is near impossible thanks to the terrible roads in that area and the only way out of the country is in a container which isn't cheap, and certainly not worth it for a $50k used M3.
Most car thefts here in the US are related to its use in committing another crime. So often it's the old Japanese compacts and family cars that's getting stolen. They then use it for a drive by shooting or robbery and then ditch it. Often stolen cars are found within the same metro area where they were taken.
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Ummm, yes it has. I live in Dallas, and because of the thefts in my condo building I've had discussions with police about it, both on duty and off. This type of theft is somewhat common here, but the thefts are executed for different reasons. Accessing a passive keyless entry car here is frequently done to steal what's inside the car, not the car itself. You're correct: it's harder to get a stolen car south of the border. But it's also easier to sell stolen property that, in some cases, can be worth thousands just stuffed into your pocket.
The key (pun intended) for thieves is getting the code that the fob emits within range of the receiver on the car itself. Thieves can't do one, then the other -- it must be done simultaneously. That's why this kind of theft isn't common in, say, mall parking lots, yet is far more common in Europe where garages are far less prevalent -- another factor in the wave there, I feel.