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RBEmerson Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2011 Posts: 2108 Location: SE PA
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Posted: Sun May 24, 2020 9:08 am Post subject: Who is stealing Westies and why? |
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It seems that every 3-4 days another Westy's been stolen is VanAlert is right. Who is stealing them (angry tree huggers, envious non-owners, GoWesty looking for stock)? Can't see these being thought as "Fast and Furious" tuner material.
There seem to be al ot disappearing in the PNW and SFO area (skewed by owner density, of course).
Are they parted out? Sent to Terra del Fuego?
What is going on here? _________________ Lord, give me coffee to change the things I can change, and wine to accept the things I can't change. |
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Steve M. Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2013 Posts: 6798 Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
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Posted: Sun May 24, 2020 9:26 am Post subject: Re: Who is steal Westys and why? |
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In the pacific Northwest-Seattle the common reason you hear is the drug users steal them for the cargo space. Supposedly they use them so they can break into houses and load up on stuff to sell.
The latest threesome in San Francisco I think two of them were for shelter. I think they were having a lot of rain out there.
All considered I've mostly only seen opinions of why they get stolen in the northwest and no hard facts- but who's keeping track of that?
They are so easy to steal that it's no wonder they get stolen.
Even if they got broken into an anti-theft device i.e. "your switch" would have prevented them from being able to start it to drive away.
I think this thread needs a "Poll" to get a quick glimpse of reasons _________________ This free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.
There are seven days in a week. Someday is not one of them. |
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levi Samba Member
Joined: February 11, 2005 Posts: 5522 Location: Las Vegas
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Posted: Sun May 24, 2020 9:35 am Post subject: Re: Who is steal Westys and why? |
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Yes, they ARE so easy to steal.
And if they get caught in some states apparently (especially right now with the covid) they know that they won't even go to jail.
So I guess why NOT steal a vanagon.
There was a weird story I read a couple weeks ago of a guy who was caught 3 times in one day (not vanagons though) stealing or attempting to steal cars and they effectively just gave him citations each time, since they aren't arresting folks for that. _________________ One of these days I'm gonna settle down,
but till I do I won't be hangin round.
Going down that long lonesome highway,
gonna see life my way
https://youtu.be/cSrL0BXsO40 |
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Steve M. Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2013 Posts: 6798 Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
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Posted: Sun May 24, 2020 10:08 am Post subject: Re: Who is steal Westys and why? |
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levi wrote: |
Yes, they ARE so easy to steal.
And if they get caught in some states apparently (especially right now with the covid) they know that they won't even go to jail.
So I guess why NOT steal a vanagon.
There was a weird story I read a couple weeks ago of a guy who was caught 3 times in one day (not vanagons though) stealing or attempting to steal cars and they effectively just gave him citations each time, since they aren't arresting folks for that. |
If the punishment is not worse then the crime where is the deterrence? _________________ This free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.
There are seven days in a week. Someday is not one of them. |
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RBEmerson Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2011 Posts: 2108 Location: SE PA
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Posted: Sun May 24, 2020 10:11 am Post subject: Re: Who is steal Westys and why? |
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Interesting...
We have '04 BMW X3 (SUV) which was stolen. Long story short, it was in one robbery (confirming carting space), and activity related to stealing small dirt bikes (story omitted).
It was recovered mostly intact (repairs ~$4K out of pocket, State Farm wanted to total it - NFW)
Finger prints were taken - no immediate match. Odds of getting thieves this time were given as minimal. But... with prints on hand, sooner or later they're likely to arrested for whatever. At that the point the old stuff gets thrown at them, too.
BTW State Farm was as useful as t**s on a boar hog. We were in TX at the time (in Westy). They just couldn't let go of signing stuff in person. Related incompetencies list on request. _________________ Lord, give me coffee to change the things I can change, and wine to accept the things I can't change. |
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RBEmerson Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2011 Posts: 2108 Location: SE PA
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Posted: Sun May 24, 2020 10:17 am Post subject: Re: Who is steal Westys and why? |
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Steve M. wrote: |
levi wrote: |
Yes, they ARE so easy to steal.
And if they get caught in some states apparently (especially right now with the covid) they know that they won't even go to jail.
So I guess why NOT steal a vanagon.
There was a weird story I read a couple weeks ago of a guy who was caught 3 times in one day (not vanagons though) stealing or attempting to steal cars and they effectively just gave him citations each time, since they aren't arresting folks for that. |
If the punishment is not worse then the crime where is the deterrence? |
A public hanging followed by head on pike over the perps' entrance to the nearest PD would be nice... _________________ Lord, give me coffee to change the things I can change, and wine to accept the things I can't change. |
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MarkWard Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2005 Posts: 17014 Location: Retired South Florida
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Posted: Sun May 24, 2020 10:18 am Post subject: Re: Who is stealing Westies and why? |
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Interestingly, if they are smart enough to break in and Hotwire the ignition, they could probably make an honest living as an auto technician. _________________ ☮️ |
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RBEmerson Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2011 Posts: 2108 Location: SE PA
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Posted: Sun May 24, 2020 10:18 am Post subject: Re: Who is steal Westys and why? |
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Steve M. wrote: |
levi wrote: |
Yes, they ARE so easy to steal.
And if they get caught in some states apparently (especially right now with the covid) they know that they won't even go to jail.
So I guess why NOT steal a vanagon.
There was a weird story I read a couple weeks ago of a guy who was caught 3 times in one day (not vanagons though) stealing or attempting to steal cars and they effectively just gave him citations each time, since they aren't arresting folks for that. |
If the punishment is not worse then the crime where is the deterrence? |
Being serious "Lehigh Country Ani-Auto Theft Task Force" was the unit saying "sooner or later they'll trip up". Close enough for me. _________________ Lord, give me coffee to change the things I can change, and wine to accept the things I can't change. |
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DanHoug Samba Member
Joined: December 05, 2016 Posts: 4717 Location: Bemidji, MN
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Posted: Sun May 24, 2020 11:01 am Post subject: Re: Who is stealing Westies and why? |
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we all need the Trunk Monkey option...
Link
_________________ -dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.
'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd
Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com |
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Irishcalifornian Samba Member
Joined: September 08, 2016 Posts: 167 Location: CaliWestyfornia
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Posted: Sun May 24, 2020 11:08 am Post subject: Re: Who is stealing Westies and why? |
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I normally just use my kill switch if the Westy is left unoccupied for a longer time (like just getting things from the store)
Now with this economy I use it a 100%. |
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Steve M. Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2013 Posts: 6798 Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
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Posted: Sun May 24, 2020 11:18 am Post subject: Re: Who is stealing Westies and why? |
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I want "Trunk Monkey"
Somehow I remembered this story I heard about an animal in the trunk...
Funny story about two little old ladies who were in court just listening to a drug bust of a circus where they hide the drugs under the tigers cage. After the sentencing the law had a tiger leftover. Somehow these two ladies got custody to bring the tiger to a sanctuary.
They drove from Washington state to California stopping off at McDonalds along the way buying hamburgers for the tiger in the back of their station wagon. I can image being behind them at McDonalds seeing the tail sticking out the window! (He was a super nice tiger.)
I know for a fact about the circus bust and two old ladies did bring a tiger to a sanctuary from Wa. to Cal., but not too sure about the McDonalds part!
I did turn around the other day when fiddling around with my new trailer and found a raccoon looking around inside because I had all the doors open!
Back to topic! _________________ This free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.
There are seven days in a week. Someday is not one of them. |
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jlrftype7 Samba Member
Joined: July 24, 2018 Posts: 3549 Location: Chicago
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Posted: Sun May 24, 2020 2:02 pm Post subject: Re: Who is stealing Westies and why? |
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MarkWard wrote: |
Interestingly, if they are smart enough to break in and Hotwire the ignition, they could probably make an honest living as an auto technician. |
Nah, Mark, they’d only want to steal the tools and get free knowledge to make it as a Tech.
Let’s not encourage them to change Vocations..... _________________ '68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto |
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RBEmerson Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2011 Posts: 2108 Location: SE PA
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Posted: Sun May 24, 2020 3:24 pm Post subject: Re: Who is stealing Westies and why? |
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Only problem with trunk money is the window's totaled which means the asshat insurance people will want to total the vehicle. >:(
With the X3, I beat on State Farm hard enough to get a "you get $X and never come back." I knew I could fix the big parts for under that much.
Much of going that way was to avoid a salvage title, which would have cost a bundle. _________________ Lord, give me coffee to change the things I can change, and wine to accept the things I can't change. |
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vanis13 Samba Member
Joined: August 15, 2010 Posts: 3082 Location: ABQ NM USA.... Except when not
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Posted: Mon May 25, 2020 4:22 am Post subject: Re: Who is stealing Westies and why? |
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jlrftype7 wrote: |
MarkWard wrote: |
Interestingly, if they are smart enough to break in and Hotwire the ignition, they could probably make an honest living as an auto technician. |
Nah, Mark, they’d only want to steal the tools and get free knowledge to make it as a Tech.
Let’s not encourage them to change Vocations..... |
and they may be one of those honest looking thieves.....you can take the thief out of (insert regional reference) but can you ever take the (insert regional reference) out of a thief? _________________ 83.5 Westy with Subaru 2.5, 4 spd manual, center seat, COLD A/C on 134a!, Winter camp heated with an Espar B4 gasoline furnace
www.SuperVanagon.com - some stuff I make |
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RBEmerson Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2011 Posts: 2108 Location: SE PA
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Posted: Mon May 25, 2020 7:06 am Post subject: Re: Who is stealing Westies and why? |
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In general, one part of the "don't steal me" strategy for anything, vehicle or other, is make it too hard to steal. For the most part, criminals are lazy. If something takes too much effort, there's a try or two before giving up.
We chartered a sailboat with friends. The boat was broken into. Anything in the main and back cabins were swept clean. the front cabin had something of value in sight but was still there. Staying too long is a problem - grab in a hurry and run.
When on any extended trip, there's no hope of hiding luggage - we use various-sized "gym bags" stowed over the motor. Needless to say, that raises the "I wonder what s*** is in there" problem. Which is a driver for guarding the perimeter, not just "can't drive off". Ditto for sheltering homeless.
In general, we avoid "drive to the city" and look for alternate transportation.
For example, in San Antonio, we took a bus. That leaves the Westy in a setting with at least some degree of filtering out "undesirable persons". Most of our stops are in county, state, national parks which provide some removal.
In Mass. a county park had strange access rules to limit/stop a homeless family from running a car repair "garage" from a big tent. Saw it first hand. _________________ Lord, give me coffee to change the things I can change, and wine to accept the things I can't change. |
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