Beware Spare Wheels Stolen

[WelshGas]

Just discovered this weekend our spare had been stolen from our T6 Beach!! Interestingly my wife had gone to Legoland last week - Me thinks this might be the scene of the crime. We had purchased the locking wheel nut from VW but it appears to have the same lock as all the others. I wonder if you could use one of the nuts from the main wheels. Does anybody know what size the spare wheel is and whether its and alloy like the other 4 or a simple steel rimmed wheel. It's the standard 16" inch wheel.

Sorry to hear that. Any Locking Wheel Bolt will do. The Problem is the Locking Bolt Head is exposed if used on the Spare Wheel Carrier on its own and easily removed using a Monkey Wrench. When these Locking Bolts are used on an Alloy wheel they are countersunk or shrouded so you have to use the correct key socket for the Locking Bolt.
Your spare will be a 16" steel wheel and you really need a 'SpareSafe' as sold in the Forum Shop. They also sell single Locking Bolts.

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/shop/p...l-locking-device-including-locking-wheel-bolt

As far as I know no one has had a spare wheel stolen if they have a SpareSafe fitted.
Nothing will stop a Professional Scumbag but these thefts are normally down to opportunistic druggies/scumbags.

 

[JohnGuppy]

I am thinking where do all these wheels end up ? are other members buying someone else's wheels as WG says scumbags lowlife no petty crime like this gets any punishment so off they go again and again
Can you imagine in a pub wana buy a wheel mate good tyre for your VW van a tenna mate sounds too good to be true and how many see anyone wheeling a wheel down the road

Years ago a motorcycle club for pre war motorbikes all members on a voluntary basis gave engine / gearbox numbers and make of bike and every member got a copy of this so if an engine or gear box was seen for sale if it was from a BSA you looked up the list and if you saw the same number contact was made via the club and if the bike was stolen and broken up it worked when a local guy had 3 bikes stolen in Sussex and they turned up for sale in Holland the person who bought the parts took a loss and returned all the parts to its rightful owner

Perhaps we should have a topic for anyone having anything stolen to post for every one to look out

I don't have a spare wheel so nothing to steal

 

[WelshGas]

I am thinking where do all these wheels end up ? are other members buying someone else's wheels as WG says scumbags lowlife no petty crime like this gets any punishment so off they go again and again
Can you imagine in a pub wana buy a wheel mate good tyre for your VW van a tenna mate sounds too good to be true and how many see anyone wheeling a wheel down the road

Years ago a motorcycle club for pre war motorbikes all members on a voluntary basis gave engine / gearbox numbers and make of bike and every member got a copy of this so if an engine or gear box was seen for sale if it was from a BSA you looked up the list and if you saw the same number contact was made via the club and if the bike was stolen and broken up it worked when a local guy had 3 bikes stolen in Sussex and they turned up for sale in Holland the person who bought the parts took a loss and returned all the parts to its rightful owner

Perhaps we should have a topic for anyone having anything stolen to post for every one to look out

I don't have a spare wheel so nothing to steal

Wheels are normally Steels and probably sold to a commercial vehicle owner.

 

[Jay20cali]

Hope you all had a good time at the weekend meets. We were at Legoland ay Windsor After spending a full day at the venue we discovered our spare wheel had been stolen from the van a 2013 SE.

Having done some follow up research this is a regular occurrence, which Thames Valley Police also confirmed when I reported the crime. There is one road in and out of the car park which you pay an additional £4 to use. It is covered by CCTV and has numerous staff manning the area. Legoland security tell me they are checking the footage.

The thief even took the trouble to stow the bar and redo the bolt up, this reduces the chances of immediately discovering the theft when you return to your vehicle. We didn't have a locking bolt fitted but apparently they are apt at defeating them with little trouble.

When I spoke to the police last night one other car had reported their spare stolen. I just wonder how many others had theirs removed and are not yet aware. When they do they will have no idea where it went missing.

My first quote this morning for a spare wheel and tyre from my local VW dealer is about £240 depending on the make of tyre.

Unfortunately the 17" steels sell for a premium on eBay

 

[JohnGuppy]

just looked on flea bay and there are loads for sale on guy in leads has 9 for sale

 

[JohnGuppy]

Perhaps a modified bolt hollow filled with battery acid or nasty stuff that burns the skin sounds so easy but perhaps a spare wheel alarm would be easy to make

Many years ago I was commissioned to build a pooh alarm in Tunbridge Wells Police station the law courts are above the police station people used to sneak in at night and sleep on the bench seats above the police station and as a thank you used to pooh on the floor so an alarm was built to detect movement after 8pm so they could ask these people to leave mind you long before CCTV

But it would be nice to find that the low life had left your spare wheel seeking cold water

British army had a great idea for keeping people from climbing on the vehicle all you need is a short chain a windscreen washer bottle and pump to keep the chain nicely wet andcontact on the ground the chain makes a good earth and your hands complete the ink but it put too many soldiers in hospital releasing
themselves on the wheel

So if you come across my Daimler Ferret scout car in white in UN markings don't take the spare wheel you or touch have been warned

 

[Shadrack]

There does seem to be many occurrences of spares going walkabouts. When I first bought my Cali out came one of my unused bike locks and fitted as shown in pics.
It’s a decent lock greased up and wrapped within the wheel... Fingers crossed...

 

[soulstyledevon]

View attachment 32787 View attachment 32788 There does seem to be many occurrences of spares going walkabouts. When I first bought my Cali out came one of my unused bike locks and fitted as shown in pics.
It’s a decent lock greased up and wrapped within the wheel... Fingers crossed...

I’ve done similar with a motorbike chain. Still there

 

[Tony hylton]

Why don't VW use the same system to mount the spare wheel they have on the Sharan. It's held on a steel houser which is wound down/up from within the van.

similar to Marko polo, but those in the know cut the cable