My buddy had his truck stolen. The main point of posting is to ask what type of security/GPS some of you have on your vehicles. He said the police and car dealership have told him Viper.

Anyway, buddy of mine had his 2022 F350 stolen at Boot Barn in SA. I've never known anyone who had their vehicle stolen, so hearing this whole scenario and looking into it is crazy. Here's a couple items:

- The detectives told him on the conservative side there are 40 vehicles stolen per day in SA or 1,200/month. Google says there are a lot more than that in SA.
- There are 8 detectives working on these thefts/crime rings, etc..
- Ford has the location of the truck, but will only give it to the police, not the customer. It takes up to 36 hours to get that information to the police because there are so many thefts Ford Pass is dealing with.
- The police have a long list to go thru, so because there wasn't an arrest and/or injury he's at the bottom of the list even when they get the location.
- Boot Barn has video. It shows two security guards with their backs turned to the parking lot. "We no see nothing."
- In 2022 with all the issues finding a truck, he was told it would take 1 year to order the same kind of truck.
- No broken glass on ground. Can't figure out how they got in. Followed GPS to Dillards where they likely disabled or ripped out any tracking software. His Ford app shows they drove 12.1 miles. Ford still says they can locate the truck.
- Interesting note... He called Ford Roadside and said he needed to get them to pick up his truck. They asked where it was and he said he didn't know. They said they could track it and send someone, then asked where he wanted it towed - he said the police station. He thought that would work, but they said he needed to file a claim with his insurance. In the meantime, they decided they wouldn't go pick it up unless a policeman was there. Back to square 1 because the police have other thefts ahead of him.

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No broken glass on ground. Can't figure out how they got in.

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Screwdriver on the key slot and a solid tap with the heel of the palm and they are in. Takes 3 seconds.




Jimmy jammers on every Ford until they address it. And they likely won't. Sucks for your buddy. Sorry man.

It will probably be seized by Border Patrol or ATF at some point down at the border.

Really sucks for your friend.

rlb28 said:

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- Boot Barn has video. It shows two security guards with their backs turned to the parking lot. "We no see nothing."

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100% security is in on these. My office (shared multiuse retail and office complex) has had a terrible rash of stolen vehicles the last several months (including mine). Coworker was sitting in his office and onstar starts sending him a bunch of wonky messages, he runs out to the garage ready to shank someone and there's a security guard right next to his vehicle (with busted door handle and ripped apart dash) saying "looks like someone was trying to steal your truck, i came around the corner and he ran away, didn't get a good look though" so we are paying security to be lookouts for car thieves

rlb28 said:

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So that's kinda the way it's been explained. Police said they sat in the cab and cloned/re-programmed the key fob somehow.

As for the YouTube video, I haven't watched it yet, but evidently Ford and other car makers are thinking about suing YT and TikTok for allowing videos that show how to break into cars.

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This was common knowledge LONG before social media was even a thing. Ford can EAD if they really intend to sue someone over allowing people to show a terrible design that's been that way for at least 25 years.

Yes 100% the businesses are in on this.

Happens this way at restaurants too. Usually the hostess up front. She watches you park that King Ranch F250, then once you are seated on the other side of the restaurant...she lets her buddies know that you can't see the truck. Its out of the parking lot before the rolls hit the table. I believe this was how it was going down at Saltgrass, etc.

Sucks. But if you buy a $80K truck, you need another $1-2.5K of anti-theft devices to make it harder on the smash and go thieves.

Damn

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He was also headed to the deer lease, so there were guns and tools stolen

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My heart hurts for your buddy. That sucks so bad. Just my own personal policy…but I don't stop on the way to hunt. Either I'm getting fuel and standing by the truck, or I don't stop. Too many valuables.

Fords are notoriously easy to break into. My F250 was broken into in SA twice in about a 6 week period, first time in a hotel parking lot and second time while I was eating lunch in the parking lot.

The Jimmy Jammer plates and an alarm help, but they still won't stop the good thieves.

Don't waste your money on a club. They're worthless. Get a Ravelco and don't look back. You just can't be lazy and leave the fob installed all the time. The truck will have to be towed away to be taken with a Ravelco

You'd think for the high cost a Revelco installation could look better.

Not to derail but pertaining to.
Five years ago was traveling with my wife in my F150. We had our 120 lb. solid black German Shepherd in the back seat. It was warm so back windows were rolled down about 2" for him to get some fresh air. They are also heavily tinted. We were at the Dickeys BBQ in Waco. We parked the truck where we could see it and got our meal and sat down to enjoy it. It was right at closing time. Two male people of color pulled up behind my truck in a crappy looking car, one guy jumped out and went to my driver door with a screwdriver in his hand. It was about that time that my GSD's muzzle came through the back window and the whole truck moved.
The guy by my truck door jumped back and fell down while his buddy hauled ass and left him.
He jumped up and ran into the street and was hit by a car. Hurt him but did not kill him.
Waco cops came due to the accident and I told the cops what happened and the whole scene changed for that injured dude.
Cop came over and looked at my truck and laughed about the dog. He then talked to the Dickeys manager and the manager went inside and came out and gave me a slice of brisket and said it was for my dog saving a lot of paperwork and investigations compliments Waco PD.
I still stop and eat there all the time.

My first truck had this.

It was built into the blinker.

You had to put the left blinker on to start the truck. Or else it would appear dead. Awesome system. Dunno if it's still made.

This is why I drive a high mileage POS. Nobody wants to steal it!

Was it the Boot Barn on San Pedro next to the goodwill?

No doubt one of the parolies doing his community svc tipped off his boys to come get the prize