Four weeks ago ugly guys broke into my house, stole my car key and took my car!!!! I thought they only stole X5's, not my "basic" E60!

After four weeks of waiting (policy from insurance company) for the car to come back, which didnot happen, I have to decide on new specs for my E60.

After reconsidering several cars, I come back to my decision of last year to order an E60, now with sunroof and radio Pro for MP3.

Do you have good suggestions on preventing car theft?

Does a sattelite based alarm system really thieves from breaking into your house for a key?

Do you have other suggestions?

- - I noticed that in The Netherlands the 525d now comes standard with Servotronic, for competition reasons (A6) they now offer 525d with 163hp (520d!!), about 3.000 euros less. - -


Thanks for any helpfull suggestion (on the car, not on the house :-))

Regards,
eric

 

E60's are known to be very hard to steal if you don't have the key.

If you want to prevent what happened to you from happening again, I suggest a better home security system!

 

Wow. :'(

How did the guys get in to your house?

Last November, guys broke in to my house looking for the keys to my basic E60 as well. They were able to lift the pane of glass (double glazing) out of the frame without setting off the house alarm. I believe most double-glazing fittings (in Ireland anyway) up to say, 1 year ago, were designed where the glass was fitted from the outside. So it's just a matter of removing the trim and the glass falls out reasonably easily. I never leave house or car keys downstairs anyway so they got nothing except my laptop. The frames have been modified since to help try and prevent this from happening without at least the alarm going off.

 

Eric, I might suggest a couple of things. First, I have an alarm system on windows and doors. Second, I keep the spare keys in a 1000 pound safe. Then, I use a 1911 .45 for a backup system. Shotgun would work just as well. Some people that do not want a gun in the house use small but loud dogs. Others use Dobermanns and Rottweilers.

 

Eric, I might suggest a couple of things. First, I have an alarm system on windows and doors. Second, I keep the spare keys in a 1000 pound safe. Then, I use a 1911 .45 for a backup system. Shotgun would work just as well. Some people that do not want a gun in the house use small but loud dogs. Others use Dobermanns and Rottweilers.
[/quote]



Hey JDN, this is Europe. not wild willd Texas
We can't shoot people over here, even in our property...... unfortunatelly

 

I have a Remington 870 shotgun in a safe, which is five steps from my bed. I have always kept sets of keys on a table right in front of my door. Never had a problem like that.

 

last time i checked yor were not allowed hand guns in the uk

 

Our '99 523i was stolen the same way, and totaled... They lost control over the car at very high speed and crashed. For some months we locked our car keys in, but now they are back on the table...

By the way... The were very lucky, even though the car was a piece of twisted metall after the crash they ran away from the scene and the police didn't manage to catch them! Lucky theifs they were stealing a safe car with tons of airbags..

Rest in peace; good old 523i...

 

Eric, I might suggest a couple of things. First, I have an alarm system on windows and doors. Second, I keep the spare keys in a 1000 pound safe. Then, I use a 1911 .45 for a backup system. Shotgun would work just as well. Some people that do not want a gun in the house use small but loud dogs. Others use Dobermanns and Rottweilers.
[/quote]



Hey JDN, this is Europe. not wild willd Texas
We can't shoot people over here, even in our property...... unfortunatelly
[/quote]
I know, but then there is all that other stuff that you can do. PS: I'm and instructor and I always point out that using firearms to protect property is not the best choice, although the law allows it under certain circumstances in Texas.

 

I have a few colleauges who had their cars stolen that way. They said they would still leave the keys at the same place, not upstairs...As far as the car is concerned, you can't do much, if they have the key, it's pretty much game over.

A class 5 alarm with sat tracking is an option I guess....