Stolen Land Cruisers -- Common Factors (1 Viewer)

[LandLocked93]

Yeah, that's a fair point. I actually always set the parking brake and rest the weight of the car (any car I am parking) on the parking brake with the car in neutral, then shift it into park. My thinking is that keeps the weight of the vehicle on the parking brake rather than the trans. But your point is well taken.

If the trans is in park, though, and the transfer case is in neutral, doesn't the neutral safety switch still prevent shifting the trans out of park without the key? And you can't remove the key with the trans in neutral, can you? I could be wrong about all that.

The front axle still spins freely with CDL unlocked. Possibly a good bit of damage if it were locked and towed on just one of the axles.
No good solution when it comes to that level of determination and a secure garage or indoor storage isn't available.

 

[80t0ylc]

Yeah, that's a fair point. I actually always set the parking brake and rest the weight of the car (any car I am parking) on the parking brake with the car in neutral, then shift it into park. My thinking is that keeps the weight of the vehicle on the parking brake rather than the trans. But your point is well taken.

If the trans is in park, though, and the transfer case is in neutral, doesn't the neutral safety switch still prevent shifting the trans out of park without the key? And you can't remove the key with the trans in neutral, can you? I could be wrong about all that.

On my '94, there's a cap over a release button (near the shifter dial on the console) that allows the transmission to be shifted out of park without the key or if there's another problem. But, my point was, when you shift the transfer case into neutral, it completely dissengages your power train (Xfer case, drive shafts & axles) from the transmission and engine. This is not a common thing for those that are not 4WD savvy because most pavement experienced drivers with - standard and/or automatic trannys - are used to park or leaving shifter in gear - expect that action - to hold the rig when parked on a hill or whatever surface with the engine off. It's also easy for experienced off road drivers to forget. And e-brakes on our older rigs are notorious for being weak due to the cable being stretched or out of adjustment.

 

[bicycleagent003]

On my '94, there's a cap over a release button (near the shifter dial on the console) that allows the transmission to be shifted out of park without the key or if there's another problem. But, my point was, when you shift the transfer case into neutral, it completely dissengages your power train (Xfer case, drive shafts & axles) from the transmission and engine. This is not a common thing for those that are not 4WD savvy because most pavement experienced drivers with - standard and/or automatic trannys - are used to park or leaving shifter in gear - expect that action - to hold the rig when parked on a hill or whatever surface with the engine off. It's also easy for experienced off road drivers to forget. And e-brakes on our older rigs are notorious for being weak due to the cable being stretched or out of adjustment.

Thanks for that, I didn't know that. That's a helpful piece of information.

 

[jaymar]

On my '94, there's a cap over a release button (near the shifter dial on the console) that allows the transmission to be shifted out of park without the key or if there's another problem. But, my point was, when you shift the transfer case into neutral, it completely dissengages your power train (Xfer case, drive shafts & axles) from the transmission and engine. This is not a common thing for those that are not 4WD savvy because most pavement experienced drivers with - standard and/or automatic trannys - are used to park or leaving shifter in gear - expect that action - to hold the rig when parked on a hill or whatever surface with the engine off. It's also easy for experienced off road drivers to forget. And e-brakes on our older rigs are notorious for being weak due to the cable being stretched or out of adjustment.

So...even if they get it started, it won't go anywhere? Nice. Ideally on a level surface!

 

[LandLocked93]

If they get it started...
...too much risk after that not to spend a few hundo's and hours on preventing/slowing even reaching that point.

 

[SteelHunterFJ80]

Haha, I am sure a common factor will be proximity to the Freeattle and Portland areas....

But in all seriousness I would love to see some info/data on this topic. I am getting ready to install some kind of gps tracking device on my rig.

Right because all the cruiser thefts are near just two cities

 

[leonard_nemoy]

Right because all the cruiser thefts are near just two cities

Not all of them, only 87.34% of 80 series thefts occur in those two cities.

 

[VivaToy]

Right because all the cruiser thefts are near just two cities

I'd consider the risk worth taking as opposed to living in Utah.

 

[SteelHunterFJ80]

Not all of them, only 87.34% of 80 series thefts occur in those two cities.

Portland made the top 25, Seattle didn't. Interestingly Spokane WA made the top 25. This a deeply red part if the state. Looks like your theory didn't pan out.

Car Theft Capitals of the U.S.

We analyzed 150 cities in the U.S. to see which cities had the most car thefts per capita. Here's what we found.

www.copilotsearch.com

 

[jaymar]

Portland made the top 25, Seattle didn't. Interestingly Spokane WA made the top 25. This a deeply red part if the state. Looks like your theory didn't pan out.

Car Theft Capitals of the U.S.

We analyzed 150 cities in the U.S. to see which cities had the most car thefts per capita. Here's what we found.

www.copilotsearch.com

West of the mountains is extremely liberal; east of, not so much. Also, don't park your Cruiser too long in Spokane; it might glow in the dark...

 

[A2ShedsJackson]

Since the police are of little to no help, having an alert that your vehicle is being tampered with gives you the opportunity to get involved during the event and right after.

If your vehicles "alarm" also de-tunes the fuel and air mixture so that you "roll coal". The vehicle will leave a smokey trail while it is driven. If the vehicle is towed it may be programmed to automatically start the de-tuned engine and also provide a smoke trail. In some areas this will attract attention and even applause.

DNA tagging might also be another option. If the vehicle is driven without authorization a sprayer can mist invisible ink containing traceable DNA fragments onto the driver that is not easily removed. IF the thief is later caught, even away from the vehicle, the DNA evidence may be used to convict them. Even if it is only a six month sentence in many areas.

Adding a difficult to remove lock onto the gear selector to keep the transmission in park is another low cost low tech option.

 

[Paul DiNapoli]

West of the mountains is extremely liberal; east of, not so much. Also, don't park your Cruiser too long in Spokane; it might glow in the dark...

i don't know - not wanting to turn this thread into a political hotbed...but if that list of top 25 cities for car theft is trustworthy data - that sure looks like the problem is spread across red states / blue states / red cities / blue cities. this is not simply a left/right thing.

it feels to me in Portland like a problem with city level policies and lack of strong leadership. I think our mayor Ted Wheeler is worthless and our city council style of government could use a major overhaul.

From the City's own web site:

https://www.portlandoregon.gov/cbo/article/763271#:~:text=At%20the%20start%20of%20FY,Adopted%20Budget%20of%20%24238.2%20million.

Council Adopted Budget Changes
As part of the final Adopted Budget, City Council voted to further reduce the Police Bureau’s budget by $15 million and eliminate 84.0 sworn
positions. These amendments reduced the Police Bureau budget by $8.4 million in General Fund discretionary resources and $6.6 million in nondiscretionary resources.
• Gun Violence Reduction Team; $5.4 million General Fund discretionary reduction and elimination of 38.0 sworn positions
• School Resource Officer Program; $1.9 million General Fund discretionary reduction and elimination of 14.0 sworn positions
• Special Emergency Reactions Team (SERT); $1.1 million General Fund discretionary reduction and elimination of 8.0 sworn positions
• Transit Division; $4.3 million reduction in non-discretionary intergovernmental resources from TriMet and elimination of 24.0 sworn
positions
• Recreational Cannabis Tax Allocation; $2.3 million reduction in non-discretionary Recreational Cannabis Tax allocation supporting the Traffic
Division

our city council needs to be wiped out and start over!!

 

[jaymar]

Since the police are of little to no help, having an alert that your vehicle is being tampered with gives you the opportunity to get involved during the event and right after.

If your vehicles "alarm" also de-tunes the fuel and air mixture so that you "roll coal". The vehicle will leave a smokey trail while it is driven. If the vehicle is towed it may be programmed to automatically start the de-tuned engine and also provide a smoke trail. In some areas this will attract attention and even applause.

DNA tagging might also be another option. If the vehicle is driven without authorization a sprayer can mist invisible ink containing traceable DNA fragments onto the driver that is not easily removed. IF the thief is later caught, even away from the vehicle, the DNA evidence may be used to convict them. Even if it is only a six month sentence in many areas.

Adding a difficult to remove lock onto the gear selector to keep the transmission in park is another low cost low tech option.

Don’t count on the DNA thing. I had an LAPD detective tell me they waited six years to get a result from the FBI lab. That was in a case where someone died in a hit and run. And it was simpler than DNA; matching paint and broken glass/plastic.

Can this CSI stuff be done? Absolutely. If your budget and manpower are unlimited.

 

[leonard_nemoy]

I'd consider the risk worth taking as opposed to living in Utah.

I wish you could convince all the other liberal nut cases on the west coast of your opinion.

 

[VivaToy]

I wish you could convince all the other liberal nut cases on the west coast of your opinion.

Ah yes. I'm sure they're "ruining Utah" or better yet, "ruining [insert anything because new people now like it]." Or maybe they just disagree with you.

What ultimately puzzles me is why you, and a couple other members on here, seem to seek opportunities to make political statements when this is, (hold on, let me check, yep), not a political forum. And yet it's the same old thing. It's tired. It's pointless. It's almost always incorrect. (see above) It's just people having to read through your opinions about anything BUT the topic at hand.

But hey, this is coming from someone who believes in facts and evidence and doesn't find a lot of value in verbal defecation and virtue signaling for the sake of venting probably repressed feelings of rage for whatever childhood/past relationship reason.

[Disclaimer] I'm no psychologist. I just drive a Land Cruiser.

 

[DivByZero]

Ehh, why all the labels? Nobody fits neatly into those little boxes you're all throwing around. Stop trying, it's reductive and solves nothing. We've all got plenty in common, and plenty different. It's how it should be. Who wants a world where everyone thinks and views everything the same way? Sounds boring.

 

[shocktower]

i don't know - not wanting to turn this thread into a political hotbed...but if that list of top 25 cities for car theft is trustworthy data - that sure looks like the problem is spread across red states / blue states / red cities / blue cities. this is not simply a left/right thing.

it feels to me in Portland like a problem with city level policies and lack of strong leadership. I think our mayor Ted Wheeler is worthless and our city council style of government could use a major overhaul.

From the City's own web site:

https://www.portlandoregon.gov/cbo/article/763271#:~:text=At%20the%20start%20of%20FY,Adopted%20Budget%20of%20%24238.2%20million.

Council Adopted Budget Changes
As part of the final Adopted Budget, City Council voted to further reduce the Police Bureau’s budget by $15 million and eliminate 84.0 sworn
positions. These amendments reduced the Police Bureau budget by $8.4 million in General Fund discretionary resources and $6.6 million in nondiscretionary resources.
• Gun Violence Reduction Team; $5.4 million General Fund discretionary reduction and elimination of 38.0 sworn positions
• School Resource Officer Program; $1.9 million General Fund discretionary reduction and elimination of 14.0 sworn positions
• Special Emergency Reactions Team (SERT); $1.1 million General Fund discretionary reduction and elimination of 8.0 sworn positions
• Transit Division; $4.3 million reduction in non-discretionary intergovernmental resources from TriMet and elimination of 24.0 sworn
positions
• Recreational Cannabis Tax Allocation; $2.3 million reduction in non-discretionary Recreational Cannabis Tax allocation supporting the Traffic
Division

our city council needs to be wiped out and start over!!

I think we need to go farther through the whole state political party KB sucks

 

[A2ShedsJackson]

Yes please stop. Everybody knows that the Subaru and Jeep owners are the real problem.

 

[LandLocked93]

Right because all the cruiser thefts are near just two cities

lol admittedly they are mostly peaceful thefts in those and several other areas.

 

[leonard_nemoy]

Ah yes. I'm sure they're "ruining Utah" or better yet, "ruining [insert anything because new people now like it]." Or maybe they just disagree with you.

What ultimately puzzles me is why you, and a couple other members on here, seem to seek opportunities to make political statements when this is, (hold on, let me check, yep), not a political forum. And yet it's the same old thing. It's tired. It's pointless. It's almost always incorrect. (see above) It's just people having to read through your opinions about anything BUT the topic at hand.

But hey, this is coming from someone who believes in facts and evidence and doesn't find a lot of value in verbal defecation and virtue signaling for the sake of venting probably repressed feelings of rage for whatever childhood/past relationship reason.

[Disclaimer] I'm no psychologist. I just drive a Land Cruiser.

Haha, I think I got a bite.