Vehicle Stolen (some Porsche content)

[nick49]

I woke up yesterday (Saturday) morning, had my coffee, and thought I would vacuum the hall and kitchen floor before work. I opened the garage door to get the vacuum hose and to my amazement both overhead garage doors were open and my wife's new Lexus RX 400h was gone. I got that kind of dizzy surreal feeling you get when you witness something that's difficult to imagine.

Anyway, I had driven her car late the night before and put her key on the key rack in the kitchen right next to the hook that usually has my Carrera key hanging on it. I'm thinking now had my 996 been in the garage rather than than in the shop, it may have been stolen as well. The theives, after opening the garage doors while we were sleeping, entered our home, found and took the Lexus key, and drove off. This is a Hybrid vehicle and makes no noise when starting up and moving off.

My wife's Boxsters doors were opened and the contents of her console were strewn about the seats and her door opener had been taken. Luckily she keeps her keys in her purse.

This whole thing may have been prevented, had I taken a few simple precautions like locking the car even though it was in a locked garage. Also lock the door between the garage and the house and keep the keys out of plain sight. And finally having set my home alarm system.

We have no ideas who could have done this and think is was a random attack of professional car thieves. My Buell with the key in the ignition was next to the Lexus and my Harley was next to the Boxster with the ignition unlocked. Expensive tools, bicycles and sporting goods were totally overlooked. You may want to reaccess your security related practices.

[djantlive]

Wow, didn't know RX400h are in high theft category. Too bad.

I keep my keys in my bedroom. You'll want to reset your garage door opener to erase all remote codes. Stealing from someone's own house takes guts. I think this is a pro job. Just think you were luckly not to have confronted the thief. The car is always easy to replace. Hope your insurance is good about it. I'd put some chains or locks on your bikes even when garaged.

[mtimmy]

****,. what the hell.. which country are you in?...

I couldn't believe the theives have that much guts to go in to your house and steal the car while you guys are there

Wow, didn't know RX400h are in high theft category. Too bad.

I keep my keys in my bedroom. You'll want to reset your garage door opener to erase all remote codes. Stealing from someone's own house takes guts. I think this is a pro job. Just think you were luckly not to have confronted the thief. The car is always easy to replace. Hope your insurance is good about it. I'd put some chains or locks on your bikes even when garaged.

[viper501]

****,. what the hell.. which country are you in?...

I'll put money on Kalifornia, or another blue state. A dog is better than an alarm.

[0586slb]

Sadly, this is becoming more and more common in England. With the immobilizers getting so strong now, they need your keys to take your car, so will go to any lengths to get them. It ranges from a fishing rod through the front door letterbox, burgling and rasacking the house to find them, through to ripping the keys out of your hand at the filling station or knocking at your front door with a baseball bat. Its known as 'aggravated vehicle taking' as the thieves started arguing they did not intend to keep the car...

[Izzy]

And I was just joking about our silly big news this morning, Crime Stoppers showed a picture of two guys in a pet store, who stole a $600 puppy. It made the TV morning news. I kind of like my little town......

[jicko]

Sadly, this is becoming more and more common in England. With the immobilizers getting so strong now, they need your keys to take your car, so will go to any lengths to get them. It ranges from a fishing rod through the front door letterbox, burgling and rasacking the house to find them, through to ripping the keys out of your hand at the filling station or knocking at your front door with a baseball bat. Its known as 'aggravated vehicle taking' as the thieves started arguing they did not intend to keep the car...

Especially that UK has banned the ownership of firearms..... with anywhere from 30-50% of US household having firearms.... WAY LESS thieves are willing to venture into your home just to try to take your car keys!!!

[Long Islander]

both overhead garage doors were open and my wife's new Lexus RX 400h was gone....

My wife's Boxsters doors were opened and the contents of her console were strewn about the seats and her door opener had been taken. Luckily she keeps her keys in her purse.

Nick, sorry to hear about this. Was the Boxster outside the garage with the doors unlocked? If so, that explains how they got into the garage -- they just used the remote in the Boxster. Otherwise, how'd they get into the garage? Now that they have your remote, you have to change it's code ASAP. Also, your roll-up door must be pretty quiet. Mine makes quite a racket, squeeking and groaning as it rolls up.

My precautions:

1. Roll-up garage door is connected to alarm system. You have 30 seconds from when the door starts to roll up to turn off the alarm using the alarm touch pad inside the garage. This is also a good security device in case someone follows you home. Just hit the garage door button and sit in the car, and the alarm will trigger the siren and a call to the police in 30 seconds.

2. Door from garage to inside of house is locked and also connected to the alarm system.

3. House alarm is turned on whenever we're out of the house or in bed.

4. The one car (out of 3) that is always outside is locked and alarmed, so the garage door remote inside it isn't easily accessible.

5. All 3 cars have garage door remote built in, so they can't be easily swiped (like when the car is in the shop,etc.).

6. Spare car keys are locked in a safe.