The best thing you can do is make it difficult for someone to steal.
The most effective item has always been a hidden kill switch. The best I have seen are magnetic ones where you place a magnetic switch in the dash and put the magnet over it.
Generally if they can’t start the car fast or easy they will not take the tin3 to look for the switch.
As for the fuse idea it is ok in a pinch. Same for the coil wire you just pull the coil wire and take it with you. That way you don’t have to crawl under the dash. Sure they could use a plug wire but few will take time to look and most will not drive on a dead cylinder.
And if you don't have an electric trunk pop good luck getting in the trunk.
Originally posted by hyperv6: The best thing you can do is make it difficult for someone to steal.
The most effective item has always been a hidden kill switch. The best I have seen are magnetic ones where you place a magnetic switch in the dash and put the magnet over it.
Generally if they can’t start the car fast or easy they will not take the tin3 to look for the switch.
As for the fuse idea it is ok in a pinch. Same for the coil wire you just pull the coil wire and take it with you. That way you don’t have to crawl under the dash. Sure they could use a plug wire but few will take time to look and most will not drive on a dead cylinder.
Well, I think GPS Tracker will be your best investment to fight against thieves. I think several trackers would be better, not just one because they will not rest until they find it. Once they find it, they might stop look farther for the second & third ones. We want a tracker that comes with history because if they take your vehicle to a facility where the signal is blocked. You are out of luck. You want one that comes with history of where it's been, leading up to the facility.
I remember reading an article few years ago where thieves stole few classic cars from a car show/racing, in the broad daylight. They just towed it away, in matter of minutes. Just like that. That's all it takes no matter how difficult you've made it for the thieves.
[This message has been edited by Fiero Vice (edited 12-07-2021).]
As for insurance, we have Fremont Auto and home. They are headquartered in Fremont Michigan. I live in Michigan. So I do not know if they offer insurance in other states. But that said, our insurance agent is an independent and has taken care of my wife for for all of her insurance needs, the when we were married I switched over to him. She has been with him for around 30 years. So back to my story, some time ago he did not like what Nationwide was doing for coverage or the lack there of. So he advised us to look at Fremont. He had some of his clients switch over. Jason has always taken care of Mary and saw that she had great coverage, even before she got her insurance license for the State of Michigan. She doesn't sell and doesn't want to. Her previous job was at an insurance company that sold liability ins to lawyers. My wife works in accounting. Not sales. LOL. When Jason switched over he informed me that I had to get the 88 Coupe appraised. So I contacted Ike Sarver who just happens to live in the area. Ike has appraised classic and sports cars all over the country. When he told me how much I thought wow that seems a little high. But years later when a new BMW hit me, didn't do a lot of damage to the Fiero but sure made a mess on that brand new BMW. LOL, I found out when trying to replace it, that indeed it was going to cost close to appraisal value to get another Fiero. So when I bought the second Fiero we went through the same process. We are very pleased with Fremont. My wife lease's her vehicles. She did before we met and does now. She has had people at work bump her cars over the years and we call Jason who contacts Fremont and they tell us to go to a body shop that is top rated and make an appointment and they, Fremont takes care of the paper work. As I mentioned we have had a great experience with Fremont. We have all our cars and house thought them. And I think we even have a life policy with them. If Fremont is available in your area I would check them out. THEY DO cover Fieors with the correct insurance.
Well, I think GPS Tracker will be your best investment to fight against thieves. I think several trackers would be better, not just one because they will not rest until they find it. Once they find it, they might stop look farther for the second & third ones. We want a tracker that comes with history because if they take your vehicle to a facility where the signal is blocked. You are out of luck. You want one that comes with history of where it's been, leading up to the facility.
I remember reading an article few years ago where thieves stole few classic cars from a car show/racing, in the broad daylight. They just towed it away, in matter of minutes. Just like that. That's all it takes no matter how difficult you've made it for the thieves.
Depends on the tracking used. Some are better than others.
As for towing and theft in general if someone wants a car bad enough they will get it. But most auto theft is opportunity or ease. If they can quickly pop a column and insert a screw driver the more likely they will take the car.
There really is no big market on Fiero's so I am surprised this one here is still missing. I kind of hoped it was one that got taken for a joy ride and dumped.
Trackers are always best but many here would not pay for them.
Heck I broke into a Nissan once with a screw driver and a yard stick. A girl locked her keys in and I took apart the quarter window and used the Yard Stick to pop the lock. Broke in to Ford vans with a comb. A GMC truck with a brake adjusting tool. Etc. We used to get people locked out often and I found a number of ways to get in. Once in starting was not an issue if you crack the column. Now if it does not start few will look for what is wrong.
So it's been almost 4 weeks since my car was stolen and the long awaited surveillance tape has finally been received by the police. Contrary to what I was told by the first officer I was allowed to view the video by an officer in the auto theft task force. As we feared, it happened just after dark and the camera was not in the optimal position to get much information. It will not lead to an immediate identification but I still have hopes that it will aid in the investigation. I won't say anymore on that for now.
The theft, as it unfolded, struck me as rather strange in that it seemed to take quite a long time. The thief walked into the scene and spent considerable time looking at and in the car, circling it several times. It seemed he might have been taking and texting pictures on his phone. There was another individual that walked into and out of the scene who may have been a lookout. Even after he gained entry he sat in the car longer than one would expect. All this was taking place just steps from a busy street. Finally the headlights came on but he did not pull out immediately. Unfortunately, the motion activated camera stopped at that moment.
I had quite a long conversation with the task force officer and he pledged to keep the case alive. I suggested that since we now have an exact time of the theft it might be worthwhile to revisit the traffic cam footage to determine the direction taken by the thief. The cameras and the footage are not in the control of the police department so I hope he is able to get that done. Since the car has not shown up stripped or abandoned yet he suggested that it may be undergoing a VIN number swap. That now seems the most likely scenario to me. When asked about our chances of recovering the car he stated that 90% of cars which are stolen in the area are (eventually) found. That one statement gave me reason to continue to hope. He also mentioned getting the public relations office involved in getting out some publicity on the theft. I recently posted the flyer with pictures of the car on the Crime Watch page of the department's Facebook page and received quite a number of likes and messages of support so I know folks are seeing it. In the time since my last update we continue to distribute flyers and I continue to search various websites for recognizable parts from the car. Jenny took her newly purchased GT to a Cars and Coffee event this morning to hand out flyers and got a mention on their page.
There are a number of features on the car that make it very recognizable. The bright red color, lowered stance, custom side scoops, Sprint headers, Mr Mikes seats, aftermarket steering wheel and a chrome intake plenum (not the standard "FIERO" embossed red one) are some of them. I will try to post pictures if I can find any.
- In 2020, 181K vehicles were stolen, at an estimated total value of approximately $1.6 billion. This is a 19.6 percent increase from the 2019 total for vehicle thefts statewide. The average rate of theft in 2020 was one vehicle every 3 minutes. ' The NICB report also looked at which metropolitan area in the U.S. suffered the most auto thefts, with Bakersfield, California, topping the list with the most cars stolen, followed by Yuba City, California; Denver; Odessa, Texas; and San Francisco. ' Vehicle Theft You got any promising...uh...leads? Redistribution of wealth, thank you for your contribution, have a nice day ! It Sucks, gettin' ripped off. Sadly, she's gone baby.
[This message has been edited by Valkrie9 (edited 12-18-2021).]
How did the thief(s) get on the scene. Typically there's a 2nd car that drops him off. That should be your focus. Getting an ID on the plate or at least identifying the make and model and color could narrow it down to just a few cars in the area.
What method did the thief use to gain entry? Slim Jim, broke a window, etc? Might help some of us protect our cars.
Both the thief and the possible lookout walked into the scene. There were no cars that could be connected to the thief. The driver side of the car was away from the camera so there was no way to determine the method. Doubtful that the window was broken. There was no glass around the area. I'm guessing Slim Jim or punching out the lock.
I mentioned to the investigating officer that I was putting alarms on my other cars. He did not think much of the idea. He said that a hidden kill switch and GPS locator together were the best protection.
The theft was recently posted to the Police Department Facebook page, along with pictures. This is not typical but I guess they got tired of me asking questions about what specifically was being done. Quite a number of responses. Most were sympathetic, and a few posted by the ever-present Facebook A..holes. There were also three possible leads which are being looked into.
Glad to hear of the progress. One can only wonder what the thieves had in mind when they stole your Fiero. Its a very noticeable vehicle. Not an easy one to jimmy with the the serial numbers and re-register. I would assume that the state DMV has a list of stolen vehicles and may flag an incoming registration/title request for a Fiero. Its not just the registration process but the thief would also have to have a forged title but all titles have a trace of ownership to them. If a salvage title is presented they will most likely go through that vehicle with a fine tooth comb and aren't you required to produce a legal bill of sale? New theory. The car was stolen by a gang banger and is now driving it around with stolen plates; with the modern technology that police vehicles have, that should be quickly picked up. Police are constantly scanning license plates on their computers.
------------------ " THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, custom ZZP /Frozen Boost Intercooler setup, 3.4" Pulley, Northstar TB, LS1 MAF, 3" Spintech/Hedman Exhaust, P-log Manifold, Autolite 104's, MSD wires, Custom CAI, 4T65eHD w. custom axles, Champion Radiator, S10 Brake Booster, HP Tuners VCM Suite. "THE COLUSSUS" 87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H " ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "
White Fiero, in the shade. From here to where ? The Scene of the Crime, had been scoped out for months, a hot red Fiero, just sitting there, so hot, enticing, waiting, so hot. ' Well officer, I couldn't resist, it was so hot, just sitting there, waiting for me, so enticing, I just had to have it, I'm sorry ! ' ' I drove by there every day, and loved the hot red Fiero every time I looked at it, so hot, so shiny, so hot, I just had to have it, I'm sorry ! ' ' Then one day I saw it with the black nose bra, I couldn't help myself. I just had to have it, I'm sorry ! ' Grand theft auto is considered a “wobbler” offense that can be filed by prosecutors as either a felony or a misdemeanor. If filed as a felony, the maximum penalty one could receive is three years in prison. If charged as a misdemeanor, the maximum penalty is a year in jail. Wobbler you say ?l
I was notified by CHP this morning that the car had been found abandoned in a residential area less than 10 miles from where it was stolen. I couldn't leave work so Jenny, my love, went out there to meet the officer and arrange for towing. It had been sitting there for over a month while all the locals assumed it belonged to someone else. One of the neighbors finally called it in. To my knowledge there are no suspects at this time.
I won't see the car until I get home tonight but by all reports it is in surprisingly good shape. All the locks are intact but the steering column was cut into to gain access to the innards, so the car won't start. The passenger window had been left down a couple of inches during 2 huge rainstorms we had recently so it will need some drying out.
There are a few strange sidebars to the story which I will detail in my follow up, as well as adding some photos. Assuming the drivetrain was not damaged I think this was about the best that I could hope for.
This is the best outcome. A joyride and just slow recovery because it was abandoned where it wouldn't get called in immediately. Hopefully it dries out ok and you only need a new column.
Excellent! I'm happy to hear that it was recovered. Fortunately, columns are easy to replace. Hoping there are no other issues, other than soggy upholstery.
Well, she is home again after a long absence. I can't think of a single thing that is missing from the car. The custom dashboard glovebox is still there as well as the TXGood cupholder / armrest. The foldable sunscreen was still in the passenger footwell. Even the paperback I had left in the passenger seat was still there. Below is a photo of where she has been for the last month or so according to neighbors in the area. It was parked in front of a house that had been vacant for a while. When the new folks moved in everyone thought the car was theirs. Can't help but wonder if that was just coincidence or planned that way to delay discovery.
Jenny arranged to have her brought home on a AAA flat bed truck while I was stuck at work. It's dark and has been raining steadily since then so I haven't really had the chance to have a close look until now. From what I can see the car looks almost undisturbed. No outward sign of any damage at all except a few small chips in the paint. No damage to any of the outside locks so they probably used a Slim Jim. Really, the only visible damage I can see is the steering column. They broke the column housing opposite the side with the ignition cylinder which seems backwards to me but I guess that's where the goodies are. They also left behind rather nice heavy duty screwdriver. I'm guessing that was used to break the steering column.
There was damage under the front hood which seems rather strange. The telescoping hood prop was twisted severely until it popped free of the upper and lower mounts, then bent into an L shape and left in the cabin. I can't think of a single reason for it.
Another oddity is the white 1988 Fiero GT parked in a driveway just 3 or 4 houses down the block from where the car was found. What are the odds!
Glad you got her back!! That is a huge relief! Do you remember the mileage before stolen? How much did the thief drive it?
On a similar note, my Fiero got broken into this week out front of my work in SF. Not sure if they planned to take the car or what. Driver's door lock was picked/damaged. Some interior controls were moved and gear was shifted. A few worthless items were taken from the glove box. Most bothersome, was they stabbed holes in my Mr. Mikes seats with the screwdriver/lock picking tool. No idea what the point of the break in was, possibly planned to steal the car, but couldn't drive manual and in anger took any item they could find, stabbed the seat and left.
Congrats on getting your car back. As I suspected the liklihood of it being any more than a teenage joy ride was miniscule. I just hope they didn't trash the clutch or grind up the tranny.
I thought it was pretty common throughout the state to have bi-monthly "street sweeping". Of course the street never looks any cleaner afterward. It's just an excuse to hand out tickets for revenue and identify any non-operational vehicles.
Do they not have street sweeping in this area? Figure a cop writing a ticket would have it ping back as stolen right away so it wouldn't have been possible for the car to have sat there for longer than two weeks.
Also why did CHP contact you and not local police considering this was on a residential city street where CHP would never be?
I guess they opened the bonnet and then couldn't work out how to untelescope it so used force!
Good call. That must be the explanation. I guess they couldn't read the word RELEASE on the label.
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Originally posted by liv4God:
Glad you got her back!! That is a huge relief! Do you remember the mileage before stolen? How much did the thief drive it?
On a similar note, my Fiero got broken into this week out front of my work in SF. Not sure if they planned to take the car or what. Driver's door lock was picked/damaged. Some interior controls were moved and gear was shifted. A few worthless items were taken from the glove box. Most bothersome, was they stabbed holes in my Mr. Mikes seats with the screwdriver/lock picking tool. No idea what the point of the break in was, possibly planned to steal the car, but couldn't drive manual and in anger took any item they could find, stabbed the seat and left.
Sorry to hear about your experience. We all need to be thinking about how to protect our cars. At CVXJET's suggestion we are routinely pulling the fuel pump fuse on all our cars. We are planning to get them all set up with some combination of kill switches, GPS trackers and alarms.
I don't recall the mileage but I had just filled the tank no more than 10 miles prior. I usually reset the tripometer but sometimes I forget. I'll have to check.
quote
Originally posted by reinhart:
Congrats on getting your car back. As I suspected the liklihood of it being any more than a teenage joy ride was miniscule. I just hope they didn't trash the clutch or grind up the tranny.
I thought it was pretty common throughout the state to have bi-monthly "street sweeping". Of course the street never looks any cleaner afterward. It's just an excuse to hand out tickets for revenue and identify any non-operational vehicles.
Do they not have street sweeping in this area? Figure a cop writing a ticket would have it ping back as stolen right away so it wouldn't have been possible for the car to have sat there for longer than two weeks.
Also why did CHP contact you and not local police considering this was on a residential city street where CHP would never be?
The CHP gal who called me told me the neighbor who reported it said it had been there about a month. It might have been left there the same night it was taken.
I can't remember the last time I saw a street sweeper in a residential area. Must be a budget thing.
As for the CHP call, I think that area is unincorporated so they probably rely on the county Sherriff and CHP for this sort of thing.
My experience with unincorporated areas is you always have to call CHP and you have to call a few times and it takes about a month for them to come out.
I don't like the odds of another Fiero being a few houses away... Really suspicious to me. The only non suspicious thing is that a Fiero owner would know how to close the front hood and probably not look there for the engine? Maybe they were looking for valuables idk. Ill be really interested to see if it starts up.
Ron, glad to hear this has a happy ending! In regard to the person a few houses down with the white 88....... It wouldnt hurt to ask them what they know, what they saw. (or whether they get defensive when asked questions)
As an ironic twist of fate, it just so happens that there is a Fiero steering column on Craigslist right now in our area...... Kit
Ron, glad to hear this has a happy ending! In regard to the person a few houses down with the white 88....... It wouldnt hurt to ask them what they know, what they saw. (or whether they get defensive when asked questions)
As an ironic twist of fate, it just so happens that there is a Fiero steering column on Craigslist right now in our area...... Kit
We plan to go look over the area soon. Jenny spoke with some of the neighbors while arranging towing, etc. but I would like to get a feel for the area as well. I still hold a small hope that the thief will be found and punished. I wish they would have done fingerprinting on the car but that just doesn't happen in low priority crimes like auto theft.
Funny. I did see that column on Craigslist but a friend has one closer so I might go that way. There looks like some broken pieces inside my column, and of course the housing is trashed, so a replacement is most likely required.
I will absolutely being talking to the Fiero owner. I doubt anyone could be so stupid as to leave a stolen Fiero on their own block, but If nothing else we'll talk him (or her) into coming on a Vine Run.
There are more Fieros out there than we think! Shortly after the theft I was driving around taking the long way home and looking for my car when I spotted a blue GT parked on the street. The owner spotted me idling in front of their house ( I was in my white 87 GT). They came out and we had a nice long chat. New owners and very nice people!
So glad to hear you got your baby back and it wasn't found wrapped around a tree trunk or something similar. I have always used the good old CLUB on my steering wheel. The way I put it on has the handle block the shift stick too. The thing is that it is easy to use. Just be careful with the leather steering wheel when putting it on and off. It is a visual deterrent as well as a physical deterrent. I want to try and keep the car from being stolen rather then get it back after it was stolen.
Hope to see you and your baby at the next wine country ride.
I'd be looking up fingerprinting tutorials, finding the little bastard, tying him to a chair, and doing unspeakable things to him over a period of a few days. But that's just me...
I am pleased to see you got it back and in good condition.
I would not dwell too much on who did it. Odds are it was just a kid for a joy ride. Finding a name less face less person is slim and to get a conviction with no evidence is none.
Most are not this lucky as often they are damaged burned or stripped.
Odds are the kid will repeat this a few times and he will get caught at some point.
congrats. if you need a column rebuilt let me know there is that 88 in pnp in stockton but dont know if it s a manual or not.
If you go to the PNP in Stockton, and you see a big guy that looks like the actor Craig Robinson, tell him Dayv with a "y" sent you. Might help a little.
He's a part time co-worker. I'll pass it along that someone might be coming for it.
Happy to hear the car is back!!
------------------ I dated a girl in high school purely because she had a fiero.
