TWO California's STOLEN within the past 3 weeks !

[T6 CFO]

I read about another California being stolen in the Midlands this week, that is now three California's been stolen in less than a month.

Possibly ending up in Poland where they seem to have way too many Cali's stripped down for spares

Possibly same gang doing all these?
Stealing to order?
How are they locating the Cali's as it is not as if you can just wonder down the road and find one?

Loads of ways including just following any you see.

 

[fred]

question ...on behalf of my mum (vanessa).... any one have any experience with gps trackers. any recommendations?? i found one on amazon for them and it doesn't have a monthly fee, it charges you when you request the location of your vehicle, it got good reviews. im thinking this is a good idea to put on the cali or any other nice cars at least as one way to try to get the vehicle back if stolen....obviously it not being stolen in the first place is best but its one extra thing she could use....it sounds like they know what they want and they will hunt those keys down any way possible!!

@Vanessa moore sorry to hear about the theft, Glad you weren't in at the time.

Trackers
Here
here
here

You'd have needed a tracker that has VHF because it's very hard to jam (ordinary GPS ones can be jammed with a £20 box from the internet) and generally the Police only take notice of ones reported by the third party locate company so you need a subscription service with e.g. Tracker. With one of these, if your cali was stolen without the keys, they will call you; as it was taken using the keys once you had (got yourself to safety in the case of a carjacking) and reported it they'd locate the vehicle, get the cops round, and then send someone out to stay with the van until you arrive. Costs typically £130-200 per year and £200 - £800 for the tracking device.

 

[Meoncoast]

We all bolted our spare wheels on so sercure they steal the van with the wheel they want as well

 

[GrannyJen]

Vanessa

I am so sorry.

My feelings on this have been voiced over and over again in this thread so no point repeating them.

Just to say my thoughts and prayers for a safe recovery...


Jen

 

[WelshGas]

Personally I would prefer not to have my vehicle back. I would feel it had been defiled by the scumbags that had taken it. Good insurance is, I feel, more important than the cheapest and having had 3 vehicles written off over the past 30 years in accidents I have always come of a lot better than I had anticipated.

 

[motacyclist]

Familiar story to us, in our case it was my wife's Golf GTi; broke into the house and stole the keys. Our alarm went off but the car was accelerating down the road by the time I got downstairs. This despite being behind a locked gate wrought iron, they just smashed the lock.

We now keep all our vehicle keys in a safe; I know they could still get them but it will slow them down!

For the record, our car was recovered following a tip off. I would sooner it wasn't because we were never happy with it after that.

I hope it is resolved in the way you are most comfortable with, whether this is return of your vehicle or replacement with a new one; there's no fully satisfactory ending.

 

[Brindisi]

Really sorry to hear about this.

Security of keys...

If you hide them, like under your pillow, do people not worry you could end up with someone demanding them from you?

Unfortunately this does happen, keys demanded if cannot be found. Difficult one. Do you want them in your bedroom looking for keys ! Or worse , being threatened, again this happens.

 

[Cadhay]

No news from Police for 3 weeks now.

Insurance mentioned that an Advertising agency did a search on the plates 10 days before theft.

Insurance are being a pain. After winning a battle with Admiral over the accessories, the VW GAP insurance have screwed me saying that it's part of the market value and they don't have to payout so much. So 1. Ensure any add ons are not in the delivery invoice which GAP insurance used and 2. Find another GAP insurer. I would not recommend VW Commercial Insurance or Admiral. As AXA's CEO admitted on Radio 4 on Friday, insurers are less trusted than bankers!

 

[Cadhay]

I know how you feel Vanessa. I was the owner of the Cali stolen from Burton area in Oct. It was picked up on A444 road camera between Burton and M42, then disappeared. Likelihood that it was driven into Leicestershire via Measham area. It's coming up to a month now with no further news.

The thieves did the same by breaking through our french doors at the rear (and took a lot of small personal stuff as well). What it might be worth doing is to ask your insurer and police force to check who has done a number plate search. An advertising agent did one on mine (BT15 VAA) 10 days before theft. If same agent appears in your search history then there is a connection.

Fingers crossed for you. We are now resigned to not getting it back. Good luck with your insurers. As I've stated in the Insurance threads, beware of the tactics taken by the insurers. Admiral have been very difficult and VW GAP insurance are worse. I would not recommend either.

 

[Hotel California]

Sad to hear , insures and banks are to be placed in the same category than the ones who stolen your Cali....

 

[splitmike]

Feel totally gutted for you.
I just hope you can get yourself a new van and go back out enjoying it.

 

[splitmike]

I feel sorry for you beyond belief. It seems like it's a organised gang stealing these vans way up north. Too many of the same being stolen within mikes of each other.
I do hope you get a happy ending sooner or later.

 

[jts46]

I feel sorry for you beyond belief. It seems like it's a organised gang stealing these vans way up north. Too many of the same being stolen within mikes of each other.
I do hope you get a happy ending sooner or later.

Why do you say "UP NORTH"

John

 

[SimonB]

I know how you feel Vanessa. I was the owner of the Cali stolen from Burton area in Oct. It was picked up on A444 road camera between Burton and M42, then disappeared. Likelihood that it was driven into Leicestershire via Measham area. It's coming up to a month now with no further news.

The thieves did the same by breaking through our french doors at the rear (and took a lot of small personal stuff as well). What it might be worth doing is to ask your insurer and police force to check who has done a number plate search. An advertising agent did one on mine (BT15 VAA) 10 days before theft. If same agent appears in your search history then there is a connection.

Fingers crossed for you. We are now resigned to not getting it back. Good luck with your insurers. As I've stated in the Insurance threads, beware of the tactics taken by the insurers. Admiral have been very difficult and VW GAP insurance are worse. I would not recommend either.

Having been persuaded to take out GAP insurance by VW, could I ask what issues you have had? The simplicity of the insurance was made a big deal of and our Cali is the same age as yours.

 

[zoki]

Why do you say "UP NORTH"

John

He obviously thinks anywhere past London is riddled with crime !!

 

[splitmike]

Because from where I live down here in the south west it is way up north.

 

[splitmike]

and so you know I class Bristol as being North. Lol

 

[Timmi]

I'm picking up a new Cali next Friday and was told by the salesman I would be mad not to take the gap insurance,so am interested in the problem?

 

[zoki]

Only reason he thinks you are mad is if you say NO he will be losing the best part of a £1,000 in commission!!

Shop around and do some research

 

[snowy55]

I'm picking up a new Cali next Friday and was told by the salesman I would be mad not to take the gap insurance,so am interested in the problem?

Don't buy from VW, shop around on the intertubeweb.

 

[Looby]

Cadhay, sorry to hear you are having so much hassle with insurers.
Timmi, our VW sales rep advised that if we didn't take the gap insurance he had given us details of, that we get it from somewhere. He didn't put pressure on us to take theirs at all and didn't seem driven by commission.
After shopping around and trying to work out all the small print, I did go back to him.
Not sure it is VW though. Info given when van purchased was for the dealer's John Clark Gap Plus RTI (return to invoice) Insurance.


Ours states that it is 'designed to pay the shortfall between the amount your motor insurer pays on your motor insurance policy and the original purchase price of your motor vehicle or the outstanding balance owed on your finance agreement, whichever is the greater, following a total loss.'

Small print says
' "Original purchase price" means the invoice price paid when you originally purchased the motor vehicle including any discount given, less dealer fitted accessories or services, unless specified on the relevant manufacturer's price list, road fund licence, extended warranty charges and insurance premiums.'

As our dealer fitted options are specified on original invoice and price list, we were assured they would be covered.

Best advice would be to check small print on any Gap Insurance as they don't all seem to be the same.

 

[sidepod]

It seems to me that what is required is a simple switch placed in any crucial circuit, starter motor, fuel pump stop solenoid for example, that is totally independent of any key fobs or clone-able remote. Old school, hidden switch.

With said secret switch open, even with the correct key the vehicle simply won't start.

The thief isn't going to hang around scratching his head and trying to diagnose the problem.

 

[T6 CFO]

It seems to me that what is required is a simple switch placed in any crucial circuit, starter motor, fuel pump stop solenoid for example, that is totally independent of any key fobs or clone-able remote. Old school, hidden switch.

With said secret switch open, even with the correct key the vehicle simply won't start.

The thief isn't going to hang around scratching his head and trying to diagnose the problem.

I agree and have been banging on about it. I had a Mk1,Golf which was very desirable. I put in a cut off switch and will get the same done with my Cali when I get one. Vehicle was entered on a number of occasions but never stolen.

 

[SimonB]

I agree and have been banging on about it. I had a Mk1,Golf which was very desirable. I put in a cut off switch and will get the same done with my Cali when I get one. Vehicle was entered on a number of occasions but never stolen.

I had one of these fitted to an Escort I owned many, many years ago. I saw it parked a couple of years after I'd sold it and spoke to the new owner. He'd never worked out what the switch did as he'd never tried it with the engine on and just assumed it was faulty. So I showed him.

 

[sidepod]

When diesels are finally outlawed we can go back to taking the rotor arm with us when we park up